I'm Not Okay (I Promise)
by Judith Wilcox
Summary: ("You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it." -Robin Williams). Opal Cunningham thought, for the longest time, she was crazy. The voices, things moving on their own — who could come up with an explanation for something like that? Opal Cunningham thought she was crazy. Until she figured everything out, and it was the rest of the world that seemed crazy.
1. Chapter 1

_"I'm not OK,_

 _I'm not OK,_

 _I'm not OK,_

 _You wear me out...,"_

-I'm Not OK; **by My Chemical Romance**

* * *

"How are you feeling today?"

It was another day. Wake up, get dressed, eat, brush teeth, etc., etc., etc., — rinse, wash, repeat. Opal Cunningham practiced the "normal" routine as frequently as possible. It kept her busy, made her believe that she _could_ be normal if she pretended hard enough. It wasn't like when she was a kid, and her parents _forced_ her to be normal. That had been a _nightmare_. Needless to say, Opal managed to find more healthy ways to deal with the stresses of her unusual life, but that was an explanation for a later time. In the meantime, Opal kept her focus on the figure in front of her. A man named Erik Selvig. He had been a close friend of Opal's father, Terrance Cunningham; the two were scientists, they had worked together _years_ before Terrance decided to marry and settle down. The two men hardly kept in contact, but Opal had been told enough stories about her father's old pal to feel like Erik was apart of her family.

"I'm OK." Trying for a smile, Opal prayed it looked convincing. Some days, she was an expert at lying and deceiving. Other days, she was a shit liar. And by the look on Erik's face, it was one of those shit-liar-days. "Why're you so curious on how I am?" she asked, picking under her fingernails.

"You've been incredibly distant."

"I've been thinking."

"Thinking?"

"Is _that_ a problem now?"

Erik threw a look Opal's way. "I never said it was," he exclaimed.

"Your tone suggested it was."

"I worry about you, Opal," he sighed. "Whenever you get distant..."

"It doesn't mean anything," she interrupted. "I'm fine. If there was something wrong, I'd tell you."

"Would you?" Erik threw an almost paternal look Opal's way. Sometimes she couldn't help but wonder if Erik was unconsciously becoming her second father. It would've made her laugh.

"Quit worrying, I'm not a kid anymore."

"Then don't give me reasons to worry."

Opal threw a look Erik's way. "It's not like I'm doing anything," she snapped. "I could be doing a lot worse. Remember how I used to be?"

A look swept across Erik's face — it wasn't a pleasant expression. "Of _course_ I remember."

When Opal had been in her teens, she discovered she could hear the thoughts of other people in her head. In the beginning, she didn't understand that was what was going on; instead, Opal thought she was going crazy. Psychiatrists diagnosed her with schizophrenia, saying she suffered from "auditory hallucinations" with "partial delusions". Medication came soon afterward. Then came the moving-things-without-touching-them part of it. Then the doctors added some kind of aggression disorder, saying that Opal more than likely blocked out the violence, putting in thoughts or memories that she could move things with her mind. More medication plus psychiatric help. Eventually, she had to be put into an adolescent psych ward for full-time treatment. Opal's parents, Terrance and Mina Cunningham, just couldn't take care of her anymore. That upset Opal greatly.

Not even two weeks into Opal's stay, she had a _visitor_ — her parents rarely came to see her when given the opportunity — who was a man in an automatic wheelchair. The man was older, had some kind of grandfatherly vibe to him _(that's how Opal saw it)_ , and was more than polite to those he encountered. He introduced himself as Charles, said that he had a special institution for kids with "special abilities" like Opal's. None of it made sense to her, but she listened anyway. Charles went on saying that Opal wasn't mentally ill, she didn't have any behavioral disorders, she was a mutant. And Opal wasn't sure which one she disliked more, being mentally ill or being called a mutant. But Charles was very kind with his way of explaining it, saying that Opal had a special gene that activated upon her entering into puberty, which gave her telepathy — which would be the reason why she could hear voices in her head — and telekinesis — which explained why things moved on their own.

Charles also explained there were countless other mutants out there with the same abilities as her, him included _(though he explained he only had telepathy, not telekinesis)_. Charles explained that the special gene — the X-Gene, from what Opal remembered — could lay dormant in most people, until activated under different circumstances. The gene has been found to be passed down by fathers, who, apparently, are known to carry the mutant gene.

Long story short, Opal went with Charles to his supposed institution and found out he was telling the truth. After being weaned off her medication, Opal was able to finally understand her abilities. Except...having them hit her again at full force caused some problems that Charles had to fix. It wasn't good. Once Opal had _basic_ training down, she was gradually allowed to use full access of her abilities. But once she left the institution, things started to go bad again and that was when she met Erik.

"Just...I don't like it when you keep things from me," Erik sighed, looking at Opal exhaustedly.

"You know I'm not a very emotional person." Opal shrugged. "It's just how I am."

With a sigh, one Opal figured was out of frustration or just a sigh of giving up, the subject was dropped. Erik had a point, though. Whenever Opal started getting incredibly distant, that usually meant there was something wrong; but there was also the fact that Opal wasn't entirely a social butterfly. Having been in that psych ward did cause some significant changes in her attitude, and socializing was one of the effected. She felt like she couldn't talk to others without them thinking of her as someone who _was_ mentally ill, who _deserved_ to be monitored daily. It wasn't like Opal had anything against the mentally ill, she just didn't want to be looked down upon in that way. She saw how some of the other patients were treated when she was in the psych ward by some of the staff, and she didn't like it at all. It was like they were looked at as subhuman. It broke Opal's heart.

 **O.O.O.O**

Opal usually spent her days with Erik because not only did she trust him, but he was probably the most logical person she knew. After the bad thing happened and she went to go meet Erik, he said that he was going to journey to New Mexico with another scientist he knew and her college assistant. From the way Erik was talking about it, this other scientist _really_ needed Erik's help. So Opal ended up going with him to a small, no-name town, where she'd meet and befriend Jane Foster and Darcy Lewis, the college assistant. Jane certainly had a personality about her, one that Opal found slightly admirable and very overwhelming. Darcy seemed to be more laidback in a sense, she'd do what she could to earn her credits _(which was why she was working for Jane in the first place)_ , but she didn't seem _too_ interested in what Jane was doing.

For Opal, she wasn't a very science-y person. She hardly managed to get a good grade in biology when she was at the institute. If it hadn't been for Charles' willingness to do some tutoring — and with the help of some other students — Opal would've possibly failed. But the kind of science Jane was going into was more than just biology, it was stuff Opal couldn't wrap her mind around. But she o _nly_ stuck around because she felt she had nowhere else to go. After leaving the psych ward, Opal's parents didn't even come to see what was going on. They didn't seem at all interested she was going off with some odd man. That, in Opal's mind, was enough to let her know her parents probably didn't care anymore.

As the years went on, when no contact ever happened between Opal and her family, she eventually grew out of any ill feelings she had toward them. She had to keep herself focused on other things. With her abilities and Jane's scientific investigations, she had a lot on her plate. Besides, Opal had a new family. And she wasn't going to lose them either.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **1\. I know this chapter's up a bit late. I had homework that needed completing so I was trying to finish up as much as I could while trying to finish this up. Not to mention I had classes early this morning, but yeah, I think you get the idea.**

 **2\. If you came upon this chapter and it only said "chapter 1", it's temporary. As for future chapters, it'll look as if I reposted the same chapter twice, ignore it. Don't go reminding me every update that I've done that. It's irritating for both of us, OK? For me since I'm getting reminded, and for you since you thought a new chapter would be up. I'm not trying to be rude, I'm just letting you know.**

 **3\. If anything confuses you in any way, don't hesitate to let me know. I can't help if I don't know what's bothering you guys.**

 **I wanna say these could be the ground-rules for this story, just so it's easier on all of us. If I don't have a new chapter up right away, it's because I have homework, school, and work **_**(I forgot to mention that)**_ **, so be patient. Don't go reminding me things I already know about. Let me know if something's confusing!***

 **I own nothing in the MCU.**

 **As you can tell, this chapter had a little mention to the X-Men. I'd like to say they're in the same universe, a lot of fans may think differently, I don't know. It's pretty early in this story.**

 **For those of you who are TWD fans, it's coming back this Sunday! It's pretty exciting that Rick and company are working to get everyone working together. Hopefully it works out.**

 **Leave a thought on anything I can improve on.**

 **Thank you.**

 **Judith W**

 ** _P.S._** _ **— this is a Thor/OC story, so he'll be paired up with my OC. Just as a heads up for you guys.**_


	2. Chapter 2

_"Nobody's evil. They just decide to forget who they are."_ -Cindy; **The Walking Dead**

* * *

Opal's mind began to wander as she watched Erik do a bit of research. Since he was helping Jane out with her studies and whatnot, sometimes he'd go over her work to ensure she got it correct. It wasn't that Erik thought Jane was a bad scientist, he just knew how much of a perfectionist she could be with her findings. Erik helped out whenever he could. So, while Erik did his work on Jane's discoveries, Opal found herself going down memory lane. Preferably, to the day the bad thing happened. It hadn't been long since Opal left Charles' institution, but she hadn't quite contacted Erik yet. For the most part, things had gone smoothly. Opal had an understanding on how to control her powers, and she knew the steps to take if she wavered a little. But there was one day that changed it all for her. It was the day Opal's little sister, McKinley, died.

The day Opal had been sent to the psych ward, she'd only been sixteen, which meant McKinley had been eleven. Opal and her sister had a relatively close relationship; but after the psych ward incident, any contact between the two sisters stopped. Opal had no idea what was happening with her family, so when she went with Charles to his school, she tried distracting herself with the schoolwork and meeting new people. Once Opal had finished her education — along with deciding she wasn't going to pursue any form of college education just yet — Opal went out to just explore what she _could_ do. But then there came a phone call. It was from Charles. He'd received a letter from Opal's family, which they had written out to the psych ward, saying that McKinley had died.

"How did she die?" Opal had asked. It felt as if a black hole sucked out any rational emotion out of her body.

"Cancer," Charles had responded, sounding grim. "That was what the letter said."

"Cancer?"

"Leukemia."

Opal had thanked Charles and hung up the phone. The news hadn't settled well in the young girl; her mind started spinning, her heart started racing, her breathing became labored. Opal didn't even realize her control over her powers were slipping until it was too late. Items were being thrown, the walls collapsed, the windows shattered — anything that was capable of moving or breaking was shown no mercy from her grief.

In no time at all, Opal's powers reached the streets, where car windows exploded and their doors were ripped off, the tires exploding; neighboring buildings were nearly crumbled; lampposts were violently ripped from the ground and thrown wherever; stop lights exploded — nothing was safe. The blast of Opal's powers covered a block and a half, destroying anything it touched. As for the _people_ , countless were injured but there was only a small handful of potentially life-threatening injuries.

Once Opal heard of that, she fell into even more despair.

Luckily, Opal was able to leave without being noticed by law enforcement, who started conducting a search for whoever was responsible for the catastrophe.

Charles tried contacting Opal, but she refused to acknowledge him. She couldn't face him. She couldn't face _anyone_. In the time since the incident, for about two and a half months, Opal lived in seclusion, refusing to socialize in any way possible. She jumped from motel to motel, going to small, no-name towns. It felt like the right thing to do. Not only that, but in the two and a half months since the bad thing happened, Opal tried using the steps Charles had given her to fix the control she'd initially had over her abilities. That proved to be very difficult.

Then she decided to get in contact with Erik. She needed to make a few adjustments, and the way she was living had to be one of them. When Erik had come to get Opal, she looked like she hadn't showered in weeks, she had dark circles under her eyes. The older man had known of McKinley's passing, had been there for the funeral. Opal didn't want to know when the funeral would be, she was terrified of what would happen if she had gone.

Time seemed to pass on since Opal started living with Erik. She slowly began regaining control of her life and her powers, and not long after, she moved with Erik to New Mexico. It actually seemed like things were turning up.

 **O.O.O.O**

"Jane needs us at her apartment," Erik said. He had spent a better part of two hours going over Jane's research, doing some revisions where he saw fit. Both he and Opal knew that their friend was very smart, and her scientific data was hardly ever wrong, but Jane could be a _big_ perfectionist. So her work needed to be spot-on at all times.

"Why does she need me?" Opal asked, looking at Erik lazily. "I'm not science-y like her."

"Probably to help with her equipment."

"Is this going to be another late-night adventure?"

"Possibly."

"Another one of her nighttime phenomena?"

"Sounds like it."

With a sigh, Opal ran a hand through her auburn hair. "She needs to stop doing this," she said. "We're not machines. I don't think she understands that."

"Once Jane has her mind set on something, it's nearly impossible to make her stop." Erik's face became somewhat solemn, but mostly neutral. "Once she's gathered enough data on these occurrences, she'll work herself to death on finding a conclusion."

Standing up from the sofa she was laying on, Opal looked at Erik with an arched brow. "Doesn't this irritate you? She's a scientist who turned into a storm chaser," she exclaimed.

"It's frustrating, but this is what she wants to do. I'll try not to intervene too much."

With a hum, Opal threw on a sweat-jacket and her tennis shoes before waiting for Erik to gather all his belongings. After everything had been gathered, they headed out.

 **O.O.O.O**

"OK, so if my research is correct, there should be another sighting in this location." Jane pointed to a marked spot on her map. There was an almost childlike glee on her face as she started talking about it. "This will be the most important part of my research."

Jane was a relatively pretty young woman. She had dark brown hair and expressive brown eyes, but Jane's focus seemed to be directed more towards her work than trying to establish any kind of romantic connections. The last man she dated, a man named Donald Blake, ended badly. Jane won't talk about him under any circumstances.

"We're going to be pulling an all nighter, aren't we?" Darcy asked.

" _Yes_." Jane looked at Darcy firmly. "I need to get as much data as I can, so we'll be pulling an all nighter."

"This should be fun," Opal mumbled sarcastically. "Look, I don't even have a college education, why am I here?"

"Well, we need help moving some equipment," Jane stated, "and someone who can scare any animals or people who come our way."

"So I'm like a freaky bodyguard?" Opal's tone became tense, almost offended. "Is that why you're keeping me around?"

"I didn't mean it to offend you." Jane threw an apologetic look Opal's way. "You're a mutant and should a dangerous situation arise, you'd be able to end it in a heartbeat."

Rolling her eyes, Opal crossed her arms over her chest. She _tried_ not to take offense over Jane's words, but she knew that, in a sense, those words were true. If there was an intruder of some sort, or some kind of predator who was willing to attack, Opal had the ability to stop them. Opal would try her telepathy first, hoping the rewrite the enemy's mind in hopes of getting them to leave without harm; if the enemy somehow manages to remain unaffected by the telepathy, then Opal's telekinesis would be used. Any form of physical harm would be used as an absolute last resort.

"We should probably start getting everything loaded up now," Jane announced, looking between her three companions wit h the utmost seriousness. "First, we'll have to make sure everything's working properly."

"Everything?" Darcy groaned.

"Everything."

 **O.O.O.O**

What only took two hours in total felt like a lifetime for everyone else, minus Jane. They had to inspect every computer, every camera, each heat signature setting that Jane possessed — the list seemed to go on. A lot of Jane's scientific devices she made herself, since a lot of the machinery she needed wasn't sold in any store. So having them checked as frequently as possible was another one of — at least Opal _saw_ it as one — Jane's big obsessions. She didn't want to find out at the last possible second that her inventions short-circuited or just decided to stop worrying. But, during an instance where she was about to go on an adventure to find more scientific information, she would also do a bit of a last minute check just in case. That was just how things went down.

And once Jane was satisfied with how her electronics were functioning, she'd make sure all the files, data, etc., were up-to-date and not lost in any way, shape, or form. Once all of _that_ had been finished, _then_ everything could progress the way she would want it to.

"Everything's good?" she asked, closing her laptop with a sigh. When a murmured response of general agreement was heard, Jane nodded and started gathering some of her belongings. "Let's get all of this in the van!" she exclaimed excitedly. "It's getting close to sundown, let's not waste anymore time."

And so, while they weren't exactly as enthusiastic as Jane was, Opal, Darcy, and Erik helped load the necessary materials into Jane's van.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **I know, I know** **— the chapter's been delayed for a little bit. But here it is! It's a little late, but I hope you guys enjoy what I've written so far. I tried having a little more of Opal's backstory explained, and I am hoping it made sense. If there's anything that's confusing about what I wrote in this chapter, don't hesitate to let me know, OK? Communication is important, especially if it's something that's a bit squishy for you guys.**

 **Do I own anything in the MCU? No. No I don't. I'll take credit for my OCs and any subplots I put into my story, but that's it.**

 **So, I guess _(I'm probably really behind on this, but I thought I'd mention it anyway)_ a brief summary on _THOR RAGNAROK_ has been released onto the interwebs. Like I said, chances are I'm a bit behind on this, but I thought it'd be something worth sharing. Anywho, I guess Thor's in some kind of prison somewhere in the far reaches of the Universe. He doesn't have Mjølnir. Thor's going to have some gladiatorial duel with Bruce Banner. Asgard's going to be facing _(I'm only guessing, correct me if I'm wrong)_ a kind of apocalyptic destruction by Hela. I guess Jane's no longer making an appearance or serving as Thor's love interest, since he seems to be crushing on a woman named Valkyrie.**

 **That's all I've got. I don't know if that interests any of you.**

 **Also, TWD fans, how'd you like Sunday's episode? Rick and company didn't seem to be making much progress at the Hilltop or the Kingdom, but hopefully things look up for them!**

 **I also know this may not be of interest for any of you, but the title of this story was inspired by _MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE_ 's song 'I'm Not Okay (I Promise)'. I'm sure you guys figured it out the last chapter, but I thought I'd let you guys know.**

 **I digress.**

 **Leave a thought on anything I can improve on.**

 **Thank you.**

 **Judith W**


	3. Chapter 3

_"Life itself is worth living for. If you're not living the life you want, you fight for that life."_ -Jensen Ackles

* * *

Once everything had been piled into Jane's van — and in the proper areas — everyone was ordered to pile in so the scientific journey could begin. Jane wanted to get there early; she needed to make sure all her electronics were up and operational, that she'd be able to get the data quick and efficiently, while witnessing her phenomena firsthand.

"How long are we going to wait for this thing?" Darcy asked. Jane had ordered Darcy to drive while she, with the help of Erik, got all her things started up.

"It's supposed to occur relatively late in the night," Jane exclaimed. "So, we're going to be there for a _long_ time."

Then came the collective groans from Opal and Darcy.

 **O.O.O.O**

And wait they did. Darcy got Jane to her location relatively early — as in the sun hadn't completely set yet, it was probably a quarter of the way there — and Jane was still preparing for what she needed to gather. Erik helped when he was needed, Opal and Darcy just sat in the front, listening to Jane rattle on about what needed to be turned on and what needed time to warm up. It provided enough background noise to where the two women up front weren't completely engulfed in deafening silence, but it was enough noise that they found themselves getting annoyed. But they knew better than to tell Jane when she was in full-scientist mode.

"OK, everything's on," Jane exclaimed, looking almost like a kid in a candy store. "This is going to be great."

"Thrilling," Opal sighed, leaning back in the passenger's seat.

"I know this isn't your thing, Opal," Jane said, sounding almost like a parent scolding a child, "but at least _try_ to be just a _little_ excited?"

"I'm not a scientist, I don't even know what you're talking about half the time."

"Well, having you here is nice," she said firmly. "You keep Darcy company, you help out Erik, you're really helpful with me..."

"I get it, I get it." Opal crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm useful sometimes, that's good."

When Jane didn't reply, Opal could only assume it had to do with one of her gadgets either acting up or picking up some kind of frequency. Opal didn't bother saying anything else, either, given she didn't want to disrupt Jane's concentration.

Darcy and Opal shared a look. Whenever Jane went into full-scientist mode, and everyone had to be silent for her to keep her momentum going, Opal and Darcy usually found ways to keep themselves entertained; whether it be telepathic discussions or Opal using her telekinesis to perform little tricks until one of them grew bored of it. Usually Opal's little telekinetic tricks didn't last long, since her powers seemed to interfere with some of Jane's technology, and sometimes the telepathic communications would somehow tap into the frequency of Jane's gadgets, which meant Opal would have to just sit there and do nothing for hours on end. But that didn't mean it wasn't worth a shot.

 **O.O.O.O**

Hours upon hours upon _hours_ later, long after the sun had finally gone down and the chilled nighttime air — along with all the bugs and creatures that came with it — had settled in, that was when Jane's research _really_ started to pick up steam. Opal _tried_ using her telepathy and her telekinesis to keep herself and Darcy entertained, but they earned a heated lecture from their enthusiastically scientific friend about how it was messing up with her research. So that meant they had to sit, be quiet, and wait.

And wait and wait and _wait_.

That also meant having to listen to Jane furiously type into her computers, mumble under her breath, talk to Erik about whatever she _thought_ she picked up — honestly, it was almost maddening. Then, without even consulting with _anyone_ in the van, Jane threw open the sunroof on her van, grab handfuls of her gadgets, and shimmy her way out to gather more data. The sunroof itself was big enough for two people to squeeze their way out — and by squeeze, the two would literally have to _squeeze_ — and when Jane did that, Erik grabbed a few more gadgets and worked his way through, as well.

Erik and Jane stood there for a good five minutes, not saying a word. Opal and Darcy would occasionally look back to make sure their friends were OK before settling back in their seats.

"You think this thing's going to happen?" Darcy muttered.

Opal shrugged.

"Wait for it!" Jane exclaimed.

"Can I turn on the radio?" Darcy asked.

"No." Jane's answer was immediate and left little to no room for argument.

"Why not?" Opal sighed. "Nothing's happening."

" _No_."

"Listen, Jane, you can't keep doing this," Erik sighed.

Without even responding, Jane sat herself back down into the van and started digging through her journals and computer files. "The last _seventeen_ _occurrences_ were predictable...," she stammered.

"You're an astrophysicist, not a storm chaser," Erik said.

"Exactly," Opal replied. "That's what _I_ was saying."

"If you guys could just _listen_ ," Jane announced. "There's a connection between these atmospheric disturbances and my research. I wouldn't have asked you or Opal to _fly_ out here if I wasn't absolutely sure."

Whatever Jane was saying after that had completely gone over Opal's head, Darcy's, as well. Their friend was so engrossed into her explanation on atmospheric disturbances and their connections to her research, that the light that was steadily growing brighter at least a _mile_ in front of them hadn't caught Jane's attention at all. Any other time, random lights would have been chalked up as headlights from a car — maybe a couple that had been goofing around with hope of not getting caught — but the light Opal and Darcy saw was coming from the sky.

"Jane," Darcy exclaimed. "I think you'd wanna see this."

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **This chapter's short, but I hope I had enough detail for this to be a decent enough chapter. What do you guys think? Leave a review on what you guys think, OK?**

 **I own nothing in the MCU.**

 **Was this chapter feeling a little too similar to the movie? Leave a review to let me know. Was there something about this chapter that was confusing? Leave a review and let me know. If there isn't any good communication between us, then I can't tell what needs improvement.**

 **Leave a thought on anything I can improve on.**

 **Thank you.**

 **Judith W**


	4. Chapter 4

_"I'll never go down your road,_

 _I find my way on my own,_

 _I'll never follow your path,_

 _I'll make mine and I won't look back...,"_

-Your Future Is Not Mine; **by Daisy Hamel-Buffa**

* * *

The light became brighter and brighter. The clouds surrounding the light started swirling, the dust on the ground started rising. No one in the van had the _slightest_ idea on how that could be happening; there hadn't been any wind all day. Once the dust started rising, the clouds started lowering to connect, looking almost like a tornado of dust and _clouds_ , with the light flickering inside.

"Is that...?" Jane stuttered. She scurried through the sunroof with Erik in tow. The lights in the dust-cloud swirl started changing colors, becoming almost blinding, even from the distance the van was parked at.

"I thought you said it was a subtle aurora," Erik stammered.

"Go!" Jane shouted.

Darcy jumped in her seat before starting the van and driving off.

"You _can't_ be serious, Jane!" Opal cried. "We're going _towards_ it?!"

"You don't understand how important this is to me, Opal!" Jane snapped. "I can't miss this."

The van lurched and jumped from Darcy's erratic driving. Jane and Erik had gotten back into the van, with Erik being rational enough to close the sunroof. Jane got a handheld camera ready as she shoved herself into the passenger's seat next to Opal. It was a little frustrating, knowing how dangerous Jane's need for data could really get; but with how she was acting in that moment, it was beyond anything Opal could hope to explain. Why Jane felt the need to go toward the mysterious glowing tornado-like figure was frightening, it was confusing. Opal knew that Jane was _so_ passionate about her science, but when she got herself so worked up she started putting others at risk, _that_ was when Opal found herself making some new boundaries.

Once they were just a couple feet away, a loud thud caused the ground to vibrate violently and the van to shake just the same. A ring of dust came from the tornado-like form before a _huge_ dust cloud made its way toward the van. The crashing sound echoed so loudly, it was a miracle none of them went deaf. Luckily, Darcy jerked the van away from the oncoming dust cloud, driving away as fast as physically possible.

"What are you doing!" Jane cried.

"I am not _dying_ for _six college credits_!" Darcy snapped.

When Jane tried leaning over to jerk the steering wheel toward the formation, Opal tried using her telekinesis to pull Jane away.

"Opal, stop it!" Jane cried.

"Not until you stop acting psychotic!" she shouted. "Our _lives_ are more important than your research!"

Another loud thud caused the ground to vibrate, making the dust cloud that had already consumed the van to seemingly intensify. What sounded like thunder and lightning mixed with the various other deafening sounds that were going on.

Right as Darcy tried pulling the steering wheel in another direction, a figure suddenly emerged from the dust and slammed into the side of the van, causing Opal, Jane, and Darcy to scream.

 **O.O.O.O**

The deafening sounds had subsided. The dust was starting to settle, but the air was thick and filled with static. Opal could feel the tips of her auburn hair stand out from the static. All that dust irritated her green eyes, making her blink rapidly just to see a few inches in front of her. Jane, Darcy, Opal, and Erik had jumped out of the van after Darcy slammed on the breaks and shut off the engine. The four of them had taken just a second to sit in the van to see if they could _comprehend_ what they just saw and endured.

So, when they exited the van, they scrambled around to see what they hit. Their brains were scrambled — Erik, on the other hand, was trying to keep a calm and rational hold on what had just occurred, hoping to calm down the three panicking women.

"Over here!" Darcy cried. "Jane, I think that was legally _your_ fault!"

With flashlights shining on the unconscious figure of a fully grown man, there was a tense silence as they looked at the form. Even with flashlights, it was still a little difficult to make out certain details. The dust hadn't completely settled, so it was still making it a little hard to see.

Opal leaned down and curved her hands around the man's head. She could feel a conscious swirling around in his head, showing that he hadn't died. "He's still alive," she exclaimed. "He's alive!"

"Thank God," Darcy groaned.

Removing her hands from near his head, Opal looked at him to find any kind of physical injuries he might have sustained. That was when she could sort of see what he looked like. With Darcy's and Erik's flashlights shining on the form — Jane had wandered off, much to Opal's irritation — Opal could see what the man's face looked like. He had shoulder-length blonde hair, neatly trimmed facial hair, and seemed relatively young. He couldn't have been just a couple years older than Jane, and she was a year and a half older than Opal.

The man was laying on his back, a slight grimace on his face. Even laying down it was obvious he was _extremely_ tall and it seemed like he kept himself in pretty good shape, too.

"Should I wake him up?" Opal exclaimed. When it came to unconscious people, when it would be established that their consciousness was still intact, Opal had a method of using her telepathy to kind of _scare_ the unconscious person's mind so that they'd wake up. She didn't use it often, only when needed. Before anyone even had a moment to respond, the man opened his eyes and let out a surprised gasp. The sudden awakening startled Opal and caused her to let out a squeak. When she looked at him, she was surprised at how blue his eyes were, and came to realize that his expression had gone from a grimace to that of confusion as he regarded her.

Letting out what sounded like an almost pained groan, the man blinked rapidly and shook his head.

"Where did he come from?" Jane asked.

With an almost savage growl, the man stumbled to his feet, his hair covering his face as he looked around with a wild look in his eyes. Opal scurried to her feet and stepped back as she watched him trip and stumble around, panting loudly as he tried gathering his bearings. Once on his feet, he towered over all of them, even Erik.

"Hammer?" he slurred, his voice accented. " _Hammer_?!"

"Yeah, we can tell you're hammered, it's pretty obvious," Darcy replied sarcastically.

"Should I do something?" Opal asked. "I could detain him."

"I don't think that's smart," Erik said firmly.

"Oh my God," Jane cried. "Erik, look at this! We need to capture this!"

Jane's flashlight came to the ground, where the man was stumbling across, rubbing his face and looking up at the sky. On the ground was an intricate design forming a perfect circle.

"Jane, we have to take him to a hospital," Erik stated.

"Heimdall!" the man shouted. "Heimdall!"

"He's fine, look at him?" Jane said.

"He could be mentally disabled," Opal said, "or someone who's really dangerous."

"Or he could have a concussion," Darcy added.

"Heimdall, I know you can here me!" the man shouted. "Open the Bifrost!"

Jane looked at the man for a moment before focusing back on the design. "You go, I'll stay," she said firmly.

The man's attention went to them, as if he were _really_ noticing them. "You," he exclaimed, pointing to Darcy, "what realm is this? Alfheim?! Jotunheim?!"

Taking out her taser, Darcy aimed it at the man's chest. "New Mexico," she snapped.

"You dare threaten me?" he exclaimed, sounding almost offended. "Thor, with so puny a..."

He didn't even finish his sentence before Darcy tasered him. Turns out, there was just enough juice in it to knock him out again.

"What?" Darcy exclaimed. "He was freaking me out!"

 **O.O.O.O**

With him unconscious, and just a foot or two from the van, that meant the man — this _Thor_ — had to be carried into the back. Which didn't look easy at _all_.

"Can't you just carry him in?" Darcy looked at Opal, looking almost sheepish in asking the question.

"Are you serious?" Opal threw a look her friend's way.

"You're really strong!"

"Trying to lift this guy could give me a stroke."

"She's not using her powers on him," Erik stated. "Help me lift him."

As it would turn out, lifting him up _was_ difficult. Opal deduced the man must've been made out of pure muscle given that even with the help of three people, it was still hard to just get half of him off the ground. But once he was in the van, the doors were shut and locked, and everyone gathered inside to take him to the hospital.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **It's a relatively short chapter, but hopefully it was good. Let me know what you guys think, OK? That's the important thing!**

 **Do I own anything in the MCU? Aside from my subplots and OCs, I own nothing else.**

 **Opal and the others have met Thor, and we'll see how the story progresses from here. We're only four chapters in, so I've got plenty of time to figure out how I want to work on Opal's relationship with Thor and how everything will play out while writing in the canonical storyline of the movie. If you've got ideas on what could be added into the movie, or any suggestions on how I could improve on my writing, let me know in a review or a PM.**

 **Leave a thought on anything I can improve on.**

 **Thank you.**

 **Judith W**


	5. Chapter 5

_"Funny, I guess destiny isn't the path given to us, but the path we choose for ourselves."_

-Megamind; **from Megamind**

* * *

The drive to the hospital was tense; Opal and Darcy would look back at _Thor_ to see if he'd regained consciousness — they were silently hoping he wouldn't — and making sure he wasn't moving around too much. Jane had to move a _lot_ of her equipment to the side and knowing that one wrong turn could have them tumble on top of a random unconscious guy — who was potentially violent — could end disastrously.

Erik was trying to keep Jane's focus on the road, trying to get her to the hospital as quickly as possible.

"What're we going to tell them?!" Darcy exclaimed.

"The truth," Erik said curtly.

"He came out of nowhere," Opal exclaimed. "Should we check for ID?"

"It's too late now," Jane said. "We're almost to the hospital."

Taking a quick turn, Jane sped down a narrow street before turning into entrance of the hospital. It wasn't anything major, like someone would see in the big city, but it was the best the small area they lived in could offer. Besides, it wasn't like any major crime or activity ever happened, so an unconscious man — who was either drunk, high, or mentally disabled — was probably the most excitement the hospital staff ever saw.

After Jane jerked the van to a stop and turned off the engine, the others prepared to get the man out of the back.

 **O.O.O.O**

Some nurses came out with a stretcher, only after Erik snapped at Darcy to go inside and get some help. Once the nurses arrived, looking a bit out of breath and a little baffled at the size of their patient, had _Thor_ loaded onto the stretcher and hurriedly brought into the hospital. Jane, Erik, Opal, and Darcy weren't allowed to go into the room he was being kept in; the receptionist needed as much information as possible on their newest patient. That was when the four of them realized how difficult it'd be, seeing how they only knew his supposed name.

"Name?" the receptionist asked.

"He said it was Thor?" Jane said, making it seem almost like a question.

"And your relationship to him?" she asked, after typing in the name.

"We don't know him," Opal added. "She hit him with her van." Opal pointed to Jane.

"I grazed him," Jane added quickly. "But she tased him." Jane nodded to Darcy.

"Yes I did," Darcy replied, sounding almost smug.

"Is there anything else you found on him?" The receptionist looked at the four of them expectantly.

"No," Erik said. "We've never met him before. This was all a big accident."

With a nod, the receptionist finished typing while Erik, Opal, Jane, and Darcy walked away.

"Should we wait for him?" Opal asked. "What if he has nowhere to go?"

"It's already pretty late," Erik concluded. "We should get some rest. We've had enough _excitement_ for one day."

"Erik's right." Jane let out an almost defeated sigh. "Tonight was crazy, we should just get some rest. I'll see you guys tomorrow?"

With mumbled voices of agreement, they all went back to the van and went back to their respective apartments and houses. It honestly _had_ been a long night, and sleep was _more_ than welcome.

 **O.O.O.O**

By the time Erik and Opal arrived at their shared apartment, Opal didn't even bother taking a shower. She went straight into her pajamas and falling asleep. It barely registered in Opal's mind that she had given Erik a mumbled goodnight before locking herself in her room for the night.

It had barely been three in the morning when Opal's mind finally began to dream, and by the time she had to wake up — and it felt like she'd only been asleep for just a couple minutes — it was well into the afternoon. Erik's continual knocking on Opal's closed door caused her to bury deeper into her bedding, hoping she'd be swallowed up and not have to deal with the new day's events.

"Opal, we've got to go to Jane's," he said. "She said she may have found _some_ connection to last night's events."

"Can't she just explain it to Darcy?" Opal groaned, burying her face in her pillow.

"I don't think some of what Jane discovered will be understood by Darcy."

 _"(Darcy's smart, I don't doubt she'll understand it),"_ Opal responded telepathically.

 _"(Just get out of bed, please. The longer we keep Jane waiting, the more she'll badger us to come)."_

While Erik had a point, it still bothered Opal to no end that Jane found herself relying on Opal's appearance when it came to her discoveries. Opal had mentioned countless times before that not only did she not have a college education, she had absolutely no idea what was being said by her or Erik. When Darcy had started working as Jane's assistant, she had said she was going to college for some form of science, but Opal just couldn't remember what she was studying.

 _"(Fine, just give me a minute)."_ It took a lot of effort for her to get out of bed, and a lot of wishing that Jane wouldn't keep them there long. After the previous night's events, Opal had no intention of going back to find out what Jane discovered. All the craziness they endured had been too much. After grudgingly getting dressed, Opal threw her auburn hair into a messy ponytail before throwing on some socks and shoes and opening her bedroom door. "You guys owe me for this," she grumbled.

"I know," Erik said, a small smile on his face. "I'll make it up to you."

Nodding, she followed him out and they made their way to Jane's.

 **O.O.O.O**

As it would turn out — though it wasn't very surprising — papers and computers and all kinds of calculations were scattered all over Jane's apartment. She had some of the previous night's discoveries pinned to the nearest wall; she had various laptops opened to show different results for the different pictures; she had calculators and pens and rulers and notepads. Jane's apartment looked more like a mad scientist's lair than an actual living space.

"You don't think this was just a magnetic storm, do you?" Erik said.

Jane had placed herself at one of her various computers, typing in something. She had tried explaining how the occurrence seemed to be _completely_ different than the seventeen other ones she had witnessed. But while there were some differences, there _had_ to be a connection. That had been Jane's main motive for still working on it. "The lensing around these edges," she exclaimed, a smirk on her face, "is characteristic of an Einstein-Rosen Bridge."

"A what?" Darcy and Opal said at the same time.

"I thought you were a science major?" Erik mumbled to Darcy.

"Political science," she responded.

"She was the only applicant," Jane brushed off.

"That still doesn't explain what that thing is," Opal said. "What's it called again?"

"An Einstein-Rosen Bridge is a theoretical connection between two different points in space...," Erik tried saying.

"It's a wormhole," Jane simplified. "So Erik, what do you see?"

While Erik and Jane discussed some of the pictures that were available, Darcy and Opal walked over to some of the pictures pinned to the wall. A lot of them were just photos of the tornado-like figure from different angles, some of them were too blurred out from the flashes of light, and the rest were pictures of the event with Jane's heat signature on. One of those heat signature photos caught Opal's eye.

"Doesn't that almost look like a person?" She nudged Darcy's shoulder and pointed to the one she was talking about. In the photo, there was a fuzzy silhouette of what looked like a fully grown person, most likely a male, surrounded by the different colors the heat signature picked up.

"No way," Darcy murmured. "Hey Jane, check this out."

There was a moment of silence as Erik and Jane made their way over. They studied the photo, looking almost in disbelief.

"It can't be," Erik said.

"I think I left something at the hospital," Jane exclaimed, grabbing her car keys.

 **O.O.O.O**

The drive to the hospital was just as tense as it could be. While it was obvious Erik was trying to come up with some rational solution as to how a humanoid figure could be found in or around the event from the night before, there was no doubt that Thor had something to do, or was a possible connection, with what happened. It was just a matter of whether or not he was still in the hospital. If his injuries weren't severe enough, chances would be he'd be let out without much trouble. If he _was_ in a bad condition — like a concussion or maybe a few bruised ribs — he would have been told to stay overnight. Maybe his erratic behavior would have caused the latter regardless of his physical health.

By the time Jane pulled up into the hospital, she and the others jumped out and practically sprinted to the entrance. Once they were in, they were surprised to see all the doctors, nurses, and security staff quickly walking through the halls, going into rooms and talking quietly amongst themselves.

"Do you think you could pick him up?" Jane murmured to Opal.

"There's too much activity going on," Opal hissed. "Besides, I may accidentally tap into some of the technology they have here. Since, ya know, there's machinery that's specialty is _brain scanning_."

After searching multiple rooms, they finally found the one that most likely contained Thor. There were restraints on the bed that had been haphazardly thrown around.

"How does someone that big get out that easily?" Opal exclaimed as they ran out to the front of the hospital. After loading back into the van, Jane let out a frustrated huff.

"I just lost my most important piece of evidence," she snapped. " _Typical_."

"Now what?" Darcy said.

"We find him."

"That's _if_ he stuck around here," Opal said. "As far as we're concerned, he could've ditched town."

"Then we'll search where we were last night."

"Did you see what he did in there?" Erik replied. "I don't think finding him is the best idea."

"Our data can't tell us what it was like inside that event, _he_ can. So, we're gonna find him."

Without a word, Darcy took out her taser and started to check it, which Opal watched with mild interest. Once the engine started and Jane started backing up, there was a loud thud and a split second where Jane let out a horrified screech. Turning off the van, they all jumped out to see Thor lying on the ground. Unconscious. Again.

"Maybe you shouldn't be driving," Opal exclaimed, looking at Jane in mild horror.

"Shut up and help me with him," she snapped.

 **O.O.O.O**

Once they were all at Jane's apartment in one piece, and Thor had steadily started regaining consciousness, they hurriedly led him inside. Jane decided to lock him in one of the guest rooms while she figured something out.

"Try and find him some clothes," Opal instructed, "I'll keep him under control."

"What can I give him?" Jane exclaimed.

"Don't you still have some of Donald's clothes?!" Opal snapped. A slight grimace came across Jane's face. "Hurry up, he's starting to wake up." After she left, Opal positioned herself close to Thor's head so her hands could curve around the sides. She could see his eyes blinking rapidly as he tried understanding what was going on. Sending out some pulses of telepathic energy, Opal worked on calming his mind. It was difficult; mostly because his mind seemed far more scattered than she cared to admit. Sending out more telepathic energy, she started relaxing when his body started relaxing. Thor took more energy than anyone else Opal had worked on before, which was sort of understandable, since some people's minds were just more active than others.

Keeping the flow even, Opal waited until Jane came back with some of her ex's clothes before she started sending messages into Thor's mind. _"(We aren't going to hurt you),"_ she said gently, _"(we just need your cooperation. We have some clothes for you to change into. Please change into them. Once you're done, we need to have a word with you. It shouldn't take long)."_

He mumbled something under his breath. His eyes, which were partially opened, were glazed over.

 _"(Will you help us with what we need)?"_

"Yes," he mumbled.

 _"(Thank you. When I remove my hands, once my friend and I are gone, you'll change into the clothes given to you, OK)?"_

Giving another mumbled, almost slurred, yes, Opal removed her hands and quickly grabbed Jane's arm and pulled her out of the room once the clothes were set near Thor.

 **O.O.O.O**

Opal mentally scolded herself for not closing the door behind her and Jane when they left, but at the same time, she wasn't complaining _too_ much. Calming Thor's mind seemed to work wonders, since he wasn't lashing out or misbehaving in any way. With the door being wide open, and Jane conveniently having a mirror dangling on the inside of it, that meant they were given a perfect view of Thor changing into the clothes provided. Thor seemed unashamed, almost oblivious in a sense, to what he was displaying. When he sauntered out of the guest room, he looked at the four of them for a moment. He was holding the shirt in one hand, standing at an angle that almost showed off his bare upper torso.

"You know, for a crazy homeless guy, he's pretty cut," Darcy said, looking at him with no shame in the world. "Sorry I tased you!"

When Thor started touching some of Jane's computers, she ran over and practically slapped his hand away.

Thor started studying the shirt as he was about to put it on before he noticed a nametag on it. "What is this?" he asked.

Jane's face reddened. "My ex," she sighed. "Good with patients and bad with relationships. They're the only clothes I have that will fit you..."

"They will suffice," he interrupted. "This mortal form has grown weak. I need sustenance."

Opal turned to see the look on Erik's face, and it was anything but pleased. There was a glare on the older man's face as his gaze followed Thor's movements.

"We can take him to Isabela's," Opal suggested. "There should be enough food there."

Thor stopped for a moment before looking at Opal with an indescribable look in his eyes. "Your voice," he announced. "You were in my head before. What magic is this?"

With her brows shooting up, her mouth hung open for a minute as she tried finding the right words to say. "I'm not a magician," she stammered. "I was trying to calm you down."

Before he could say anything else, Erik intervened. "If we're going to Isabela's, we might as well go now," he stated firmly. His tone leaving absolutely no room for arguing.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Probably not the best ending, but I feel like I've written enough for this chapter, so here you go! If there's anything you'd like to see added into the story, don't hesitate to let me know, OK?**

 **Do I own anything in the MCU? No. No I don't.**

 **If there's anything that's confusing, don't hesitate to let me know. If there's an OC or a subplot you'd like to have added into the story, leave a review or PM me.**

 **For this story, and any future stories I write in the MCU, whenever Opal uses her telepathy to communicate with others,** _"(it'll be written like this)."_

 **Leave a thought on anything I can improve on.**

 **Thank you.**

 **Judith W**


	6. Chapter 6

_"A little nonsense now and then, is cherished by the wisest men."_

-Roald Dahl

* * *

The drive to Isabela's was tense. Thor seemed blissfully unaware of the stares — and glares — being thrown his way. It was almost as if nothing seemed to bother him, like being hit twice in the span of a couple hours didn't faze him in the slightest. Being tasered? Not a big deal. Being disrespectful to the people who gave him clothes and then demand food afterward? That didn't seem to process with him! Was he like that towards _everyone_ he met?

While it didn't seem like Thor was about ready to start attacking anyone, Opal made sure to keep herself ready in case he _decided_ to act out. Just because she managed to calm his mind before didn't mean he'd _stay_ calm.

"We're almost there," Jane announced, turning her van down another road. The small diner came into view, and an almost _pleased_ look came onto Thor's face. "I need you to do something for me, OK?" She glanced at Thor, a serious glint in her eyes.

"What could I offer you?" Thor chuckled. There was a hint of arrogance in his words, and a twinge of irritation rushed through Opal's body.

"Listen to what she's saying," Opal responded, keeping her voice tight and neutral.

Thor glanced back at Opal for a moment before looking over at Jane. The arrogance was _very_ obvious in his blue eyes, and it made the irritation in Opal intensify. While she could understand him being upset about being hit by a car twice _plus_ getting tased, but the arrogance? Where had that come from?

"Fine," he said, a small smirk on his face. "I'll help you with what you need."

"Good." Jane's response was firm, satisfied.

And with that, they reached the parking lot of Isabela's.

 **O.O.O.O**

Jane's interrogation didn't start immediately. Once inside the diner, Thor ordered practically everything on the menu, _plus_ a cup of black coffee and some water. It took him about five minutes to finish the first plate; and he was about halfway through his second plate, still going strong. It didn't seem like he was sick, considering he was able to keep eating. Not only _that_ , but he'd also found Darcy's stash of Pop-Tarts in Jane's van — fresh Pop-Tarts, but it wasn't like Thor cared in the slightest — and ate it all in what looked like a single bite.

For the moment, they were all just watching, in stunned silence, as Thor ate.

Opal couldn't bring herself to order anything aside from water, considering Thor's table manners weren't the best and she lost her appetite as a result.

Erik had a light breakfast.

Darcy and Jane didn't want to eat anything.

By the time Thor was nearly finished with his second plate, Jane mustered up the courage to start asking questions. "How'd you get inside that cloud?" she said.

"How're you not throwing up?" Opal asked, a hint of disgust in her voice as she watched him eat.

"How can you eat an _entire_ box of Pop-Tarts and _still_ be this hungry?" Darcy asked.

After stuffing his face full of scrambled eggs, Thor took his cup of coffee and took a long sip before looking down at the drink appreciatively. "This drink, I like it," he exclaimed.

"I know, it's great, right?" Darcy said.

"Another!" Thor announced, throwing the cup on the ground. Before it could actually _hit_ the ground, Opal tried stopping it, using her telekinesis to stop it midway. Unfortunately, that meant Thor saw it, and before he had a chance to look Opal's way, Jane had elbowed her side and caused her concentration to falter. Which caused the cup to smash on the ground.

Darcy had let out a surprised shriek, nearly jumping out of her seat. Jane let out an equally surprised shriek, only she covered her mouth to stifle it. Erik looked stunned, not to mention mortified. Opal almost fell out of her chair in surprise.

 _Thor_ , on the other hand, looked around expectantly, completely ignoring the confused, startled, bewildered looks people were throwing their way.

"I am so sorry," Opal exclaimed, looking at the waitresses. "It was an accident." Grabbing a handful of napkins, she started gathering up the shards of the cup and trying to clean up the coffee that splattered on the ground. Once the shards had been gathered into the napkins, and the coffee mess had been cleaned to the best of her abilities, Opal threw a heated look Thor's way as she placed the mess on the table. "What is wrong with you?" she hissed. "Are you out of your mind?"

"It was delicious, I want another."

The statement was said so simply it made Opal laugh in disbelief. "You can ask for more without smashing it on the ground," she said sharply. "Do you know how rude you're being right now?"

An almost shocked look came across Thor's face. "I meant no disrespect," he exclaimed.

"Then don't go _smashing_ things, OK?" Leaning back in her seat, Opal crossed her arms over her chest as she regarded him. " _OK_?"

"You have my word."

With a nod, the subject was dropped.

The air seemed to lighten after that, and Jane was starting to get back into the groove of questioning Thor. While Jane was trying to get as much information as possible, two older men came in and started chatting with Isabela, the owner of the diner. While Opal wasn't one to eavesdrop, she couldn't help it since the two men were practically yelling they were talking so loud. Something having to do with a crater, a weird looking satellite, and then some kind law enforcement showing up. Jane looked Opal's way, and the latter knew that look all too well. It was Jane's _please-use-your-telepathy_ face.

Sighing, Opal connected her mind with the older mens', hoping to find what they were talking about. Evidently, it didn't take much looking to understand what they meant. Whatever "satellite" _they_ were talking about was somewhere in the desert, not far from town, in a big crater...only it wasn't a satellite at all. It was a... hammer.

After exiting their minds, Opal looked at Jane with a slight frown. "It's not a satellite," she said, lowering her voice so the men wouldn't overhear. "It's a hammer. I'd say about fifty miles West of here."

A look came across Thor's face. Not even bothering to finish his food, he stood up abruptly and walked out the door.

"Should I go after him?" Opal asked.

"You're the only one who can calm him down," Erik said. "Go get him before he does something stupid."

 **O.O.O.O**

Opal Cunningham didn't really expect much out of life. After having to deal with being considered mentally ill for so long, then having to realize she _wasn't_ sick, she was just a _mutant_ , Opal didn't really know what to think anymore. In her own opinion, she would've been content just living the easy life, not having to haul herself all over New Mexico for Jane's scientific discoveries. In all honesty, she wasn't expecting or wanting to go running after some guy Jane hit with her van either.

Neither were on the top of her list.

So when she caught up with Thor, she found herself feeling more like a babysitter for the tall blonde. She didn't like that feeling at all.

Considering when she caught up with him, she had to shove him out of the way of oncoming traffic.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **How was this chapter? Was it good? Was it bad? Was it meh? Leave a review on any thoughts.**

 **I own nothing in the MCU.**

 **If you've got ideas for subplots, or if you have characters you'd like added to the story, don't hesitate to leave a review or PM me. Reviewer input is important to me.**

 **Leave a thought on anything I can improve on.**

 **Thank you.**

 **Judith W**


	7. Chapter 7

_"Oh we gotta turn up the crazy,_

 _Livin' like a washed up celebrity,_

 _Shooting fireworks like it's the Fourth of July,_

 _Until we feel alright...,"_

-Victorious; **by Panic! at the Disco**

* * *

Once Thor was out of the way of oncoming traffic — though Opal wouldn't admit it was really _traffic_ , just the usual two or three cars that drove around during the day — she threw him a heated glare. Thor seemed a little miffed at the way Opal had moved him out of the way of the oncoming cars, but it didn't seem to last that long.

It didn't take long for Thor to continue walking, his long legs making quite a gap between himself and Opal.

"Where in God's name do you think you're going?" she exclaimed, practically jogging to catch up with him.

"Fifty miles West of here." The answer was simple, which made Opal stop for a moment before walking again.

"Is it because of the hammer?" she asked, managing to catch up with him.

"Of course," he replied. "I'm getting what belongs to me."

"You _can't_ be serious." Thor looked back at Opal. Her response made it evident she didn't believe him; given what she saw in those mens' heads, it seemed impossible for Thor to claim something like that belonged to him. "Why don't you just think this through before jumping into it?" she said. When he didn't answer, she let out a frustrated sigh. "Thor, please don't do this."

"Why not?" Thor asked, a humorous tone underlying his words.

"Besides the fact the _government_ seems to think it's theirs, that hammer looked super ancient." Throwing her arms up in exasperation when Thor refused to slow down, Opal let out a frustrated groan. "I don't know what that hammer's supposed to be or why it's super important to you, but there's something about it those guys couldn't understand. What makes you think you do?"

"Because I'm Thor," he responded, the answer also said as though it were the most simple thing in the world. "I will take back what is mine; whatever those men think it is, they're wrong."

"You can't just walk in there and take it. It's not going to be as easy as you think it'll be."

"Opal." Erik's voice cut through whatever kind of discussion Thor and Opal were having; the two stopped walking to see Erik, Jane, and Darcy hurrying behind them. The look on the older man's face was deathly serious, and it made Opal wonder what he was thinking about.

"If you take me there now, I'll tell you everything I know," Thor said.

Opal looked back at Jane, whose eyes lit up at the proposition. There was no doubt in Opal's mind that Jane would agree to take him, but she had to understand that going to a government-run area was dangerous. Thankfully, Jane saw the look on her friend's face and started to hesitate.

"You'll answer _everything_?" Jane pressed, bouncing from one foot to another.

Thor nodded. "Everything will be reveled once I reclaim Mjølnir."

"Myuh-Myuh?" Darcy asked. "What's 'Myuh-Myuh'?"

"A word, Jane," Erik said curtly. The look Erik threw Opal's way told her to stay there. When Jane, Darcy, and Erik huddled together, Opal crossed her arms over her chest and turned to face Thor. He looked at her curiously, as if he were looking at her for the first time.

"What's Mjølnir?" she asked. A hint of a smile spread across the tall blonde's face. "Apparently it seemed enough to piss Erik off. What is it?"

"It will help me show my worth to Father," Thor said, his eyes darkening.

"That doesn't really answer my question."

There was a brief moment of silence before Thor decided to speak. "You were able to see what it looked like in the minds of those men," he replied, his tone curious with a hint of caution. "And what you did with the cup...I didn't think Midgardians were capable of doing that."

Opal's brows furrowed. He actually paid some attention, and it caught her off guard. Certainly there was the chance he'd notice her stopping the cup when he threw it, but she didn't think he'd really pay much attention to how she'd gathered information of the crater site.

"You've changed the subject," she countered. Thor studied Opal for a good minute, and a shiver of something ran up her spine. Opal wasn't sure if the shiver was pleasurable or out of discomfort, but it lingered for a moment before Jane, thankfully, came in and ruined whatever little moment was happening.

"I'm sorry," Jane said, sounding rather formal, "but we — _I_ — can't take you."

"Then this is where we say goodbye," Thor responded. Taking Jane's hand, he gently kissed her knuckles, causing her to flush and giggle uncontrollably. "Jane Foster, Erik Selvig, Opal, and Darcy — farewell." Thor's gaze went to Opal's for one last moment, causing another shiver to run up her spine, before he turned and walked away.

 **O.O.O.O**

"I think he caught on to me being a mutant," Opal said, her voice quiet. The walk to Jane's apartment seemed to be slower and more deliberate, even with how small the town was. "I could've altered his memories a little before we left."

"You really think he noticed?" Darcy asked.

"He knew I was the one who calmed him down at Jane's place, he saw me stop the mug he threw at Isabela's, and he caught on to how I got info from those two guys at Isabela's, too." Opal's face scrunched up. "I didn't think he'd actually be paying attention to what I did."

"Sometimes you're not very discreet when you use your powers," Erik sighed. "If you don't want people to know it's you, don't make it so obvious."

"That's the thing, I _wasn't_ being obvious at Isabela's," she responded. "When he threw his cup, I could've handled it. Jane elbowed me and I lost my concentration."

"Someone could've seen," Jane replied. "I've got to agree with Erik on this one."

"I was trying to avoid a scene."

"It's the thought that counts," Darcy exclaimed.

Once they crossed the final block leading to Jane's apartment, they stopped. A truck was driving out of the parking lot of the apartment building Jane lived in, the back area filled with some of her gizmos and gadgets. Opal could see the look of confusion then utter horror on her friend's face before she quickly looked over at the building. There were a few black SUVs in the parking lot, various sharply-dressed men were walking in and out. A lot of the men who were leaving had boxes full of Jane's things, they were going through every nook and cranny. Not even the motorhome where most of the research was conducted had been spared.

"Hey!" Jane shouted, running over to where the men were, with Opal and the others not far behind. "What the hell is going on!?"

"Ms. Foster, I'm Agent Coulson from S.H.I.E.L.D.," one of the men responded. He was an older looking man, but his serious face had a sort of kindness behind it.

"Is that supposed to mean something to me?" Jane snapped. "You can't do this!"

Erik immediately grabbed Jane's shoulder, whispering something to her in hopes of calming her down.

"Do you even have a warrant to be doing this?" Opal snapped, giving Coulson a heated glare.

Coulson's gaze met Opal's for a moment, and there was something in that gaze that caused a bubble of discomfort to form in the pit of Opal's stomach. It was almost like he knew something she didn't, like something he knew on her that even _she_ didn't know. Even Erik's reaction to the whole thing was adding to the feeling.

"I can assure you it's completely legal, Ms. Cunningham."

The unsettled feeling seemed to intensify knowing he knew her name.

After a moment, Jane yanked herself out of Erik's grasp. "This is my life," she barked.

"We're investigating a security threat," Coulson explained. "We need to appropriate your records and all your atmospheric data."

" _Appropriate_? You mean _steal_!" Jane exclaimed.

Coulson and Jane continued to argue for a minute more. It was almost pitiful, seeing her trying to negotiate in some way to keep her data and devices. A lot of the machinery that had been in Jane's apartment had been built from scratch, and seeing it being hauled off by a mysterious group of men was almost unreal.

"I'm on the verge of understanding something extraordinary!" Jane exclaimed, sounding almost like she was begging. "And everything I know about this phenomena is either in my lab or in this book..." She motioned to the leather-bound book in her hands.

With a single nod of Coulson's head, one of the suited men took the leather-bound book Jane was carrying.

"Can you guys just give her her things back?" Opal exclaimed. "This doesn't make any sense."

"I'd suggest you calm down, Ms. Cunningham," Coulson replied. "This is a small town, which means more damage and plenty of casualties." Looking at Jane, Coulson tried for a comforting smile. "Thank you for your cooperation."

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **This chapter is long overdue, and I apologize for not having it up sooner. I also apologize if this chapter seemed too similar to the movie in any way; I was hoping to find a way to finish it quickly, but I guess I got a little too dependent on the actual movie. What's done is done, I guess.**

 **Do I own anything in the MCU? No. No I don't.**

 **This is an Opal/Thor pairing, and I know it may not seem like either party is showing any obvious signs of attraction, but I'll be sure to put in some fillers that'll show some growing romance between my OC and Thor. If you've got any ideas on how those fillers could play out, don't hesitate to let me know. Also, if you've got ideas on OCs you'd like to see added into the story, leave a review or PM me.**

 **Be kind to one another, don't text and drive, and I hope you guys find hilarious memes on the internet.**

 **Leave a thought on anything I could improve on.**

 **Thank you.**

 **Judith W**


	8. Chapter 8

_"But I'm holding on for dear life, won't look down, won't open my eyes,_

 _Keep my glass full until morning light, 'cause I'm just holding on for tonight,_

 _Help me, I'm holding on for dear life, won't look down, won't open my eyes,_

 _Keep my glass full until morning light, 'cause I'm holding on for tonight,_

 _On for tonight...,"_

-Chandelier; **by Sia**

* * *

Erik, Opal, Jane, and Darcy stood around the apartment, which looked uncomfortably larger without all the things Jane cluttered it with. Opal noticed how the walls had more room, how the sounds of their footsteps echoed. Letting out a sigh, Opal brushed some of her hair away from her face. Those men, and whoever Coulson was, knew about Jane's research and about Opal. How did they know about Opal? How did they know about Jane and her studies?

 _"(Erik, you seemed to know those men),"_ Opal exclaimed, linking her telepathy to the older man's mind. _"(Who are they)?"_

There was no response. She knew Erik heard her, and she wanted answers immediately. Coulson, whoever or whatever the hell S.H.I.E.L.D. was — it made no sense. How long had they been keeping tabs on them? It didn't make any sense. Those men were able to spy on other people and not get in trouble?

 _"(I know you can hear me),"_ Opal exclaimed, her tone sharp. _"(How did they know where to find us? Who are they)?"_

 _"(They are not people you should be messing with)."_ Was that desperation in Erik's tone? What did he know about them? When Opal turned to look in his direction, there was a pained expression on Erik's face. It made Opal's features soften. She felt bad for coming on so strong, but with everything that had been going on, she was about to burst. Nothing seemed to make sense anymore. Strange men falling from the sky, unexplained markings on the ground, hammers, weird suited men stealing atmospheric research — what has the world come to?

"How can they do something like this?" Jane murmured, pain evident in her voice. "I worked so hard to get here. They just...took it all away."

"You'll get it back," Darcy sighed. "I mean, they can't keep it forever, right?"

Darcy and Jane looked at Erik, as if he'd have the answer to all their problems. The pained look on his face seemed to intensify. Whatever he knew on S.H.I.E.L.D., he wasn't willing to share it. No matter how hard Opal pushed, or how many questions Jane asked, Erik was standing firm with his belief in not sharing any details.

"Why don't we get some air?" Opal suggested. "Maybe that'll help us calm down."

 **O.O.O.O**

After making their way to the top of the apartment building, the four of them sat down on the building's edge, looking at the pathetically small town with obvious disinterest. They knew the town's layout inside and out. They all sat in a long, heavy silence for a good twenty minutes before Jane broke it.

"Years of research," she muttered cynically. "Gone."

"They even took my iPod," Darcy sighed, sounding disappointed.

"What about the backups?" Erik asked, after a moment of heavy silence had gone by.

"They took our backups," Jane sighed. "They took the backups of our backups. They were _extremely_ thorough."

"I just downloaded like thirty songs onto there," Darcy went on.

"Darcy, just forget the iPod, okay?" Opal sighed. "I think, for now, we need to just to take a breather from all this."

Jane visibly stiffened where she sat. "I can't just calm down from this," she exclaimed. "They took my research! They took my equipment! What do they expect me to do? Sit around and do nothing?"

"They knew us, Jane," Opal exclaimed. "Whatever those people are, they've been keeping a close eye on us. If you try to start your research again, they'll come back and take it."

There was an obviously frustrated huff but no other word on the matter. They all sat there in silence for a moment longer before Erik spoke up.

"I knew this scientist," he sighed, "a pioneer in gamma radiation. S.H.I.E.L.D. showed up and he was never heard from again."

"How do they know how to keep track of all this?" Opal sighed.

"They've got eyes and ears everywhere," Erik muttered. "Who knows how much stuff they know?"

"They're not gonna do that to us," Jane exclaimed.

"Let me contact one of my colleagues," Erik proposed. "He's had some dealings with these people before. I'll email him; maybe he can help."

"...They took your laptop, too," Darcy announced.

 **O.O.O.O**

It didn't take Opal long in deciding she wanted to leave. After everything that had gone down, she wanted some alone time. Erik was more than willing to give the young mutant the space she needed; something she was grateful for. Jane was too pent up in her anger and confusion on the S.H.I.E.L.D. issue to really notice, and Darcy was more than accepting in her friend's willingness to leave.

While Opal made her way back to her apartment, she stopped when she noticed a tall figure going into the town's only pet store. She didn't get a good look at him, but she swore there was a hint of familiarity in that figure's appearance. Chewing on her bottom lip anxiously, Opal debated whether or not to make sure it really was someone she knew and not her imagining things. Letting out a frustrated sigh, she made her way over to the pet store.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **I know, I know** **— this story took a ridiculously long amount of time to get up. But I have been so overwhelmed with school and work lately that this was pushed to the very back of my mind. Hopefully you guys find some enjoyment from this chapter anyway.**

 **Do I own anything in the MCU? No. No I don't.**

 **If you've got ideas for OCs or subplots or whatever that you'd like to see written in future updates, don't hesitate to PM me or leave a review. Don't forget to leave some constructive criticism.**

 **Be kind to one another, don't text and drive, and be sure to treat each other with respect.**

 **Thank you.**

 **Judith W**


	9. Chapter 9

_"Here we go, here we go,_

 _It's about time that we set it off,_

 _Here we go, here we go,_

 _Red lights, I could never stop,_

 _A dreamer with the fever to be great was all I ever want, all I ever wanted,_

 _A finder with the fever for the fame was all I ever want, all I ever wanted...,"_

-Legend; **by The Score**

* * *

It shouldn't have been much of a surprise that the tall figure entering the pet store was Thor, but it was. Opal, upon entering the pet shop, found herself feeling surprised _and_ annoyed upon seeing Thor inside. He didn't notice her at all, which was probably a good thing. She was taking a moment to just drink him in. If Opal were being completely honest with herself, she thought Thor had left town after their departure. Seeing that he was still lingering around was definitely odd. But he wasn't causing too much commotion, which was good. Or...well, maybe Opal thought too soon on that. As it would turn out, Thor was only doing a quick inspection of the pet store before he decided he was going to hassle the young employee. Opal watched pitifully as the young worker shifted from one foot to the other, looking _very_ uncomfortable under Thor's gaze. It wasn't much of a surprise that someone as big and muscular as Thor would automatically come off as intimidating to someone, and Opal didn't hold that against the employee. Mere hours before, Darcy had tased the tall blonde unconscious after he'd been run over.

But in all honesty, Opal could only witness so much of the interaction before she started feeling uncomfortable herself. That was why she chose to intervene.

"Thor?" she exclaimed, hoping to keep her tone as light and friendly as possible. "Is that you?" When he turned around, Opal could see the confusion written on his face before it vanished. Thor's features relaxed when he saw the familiar face, and Opal was thankful for that. Quickly walking over to him, she placed a hand on his back, a forced smile on her face as she stood beside him. Opal had to come off as someone being friendly, not wanting to cause anymore problems for the already stressed out employee. "How are you?" Opal asked. She was doing whatever she could to keep Thor's attention on her. "How've things been going?"

"Things are looking well," he responded, his blue eyes watching her movements carefully, his brows furrowing slightly. "Are your friends not with you?"

"We...decided to call it a day." It was the best vague answer Opal could come up with. Whether Thor believed it or not was up for debate, considering Opal turned her attention to the employee. "Was he causing any problems?" she asked. When the worker hesitantly shook his head, Opal nodded. "OK, good. I'm sorry, if he made you uncomfortable, though. He just got out of the hospital not that long ago. He's probably still doped up on whatever medicine they gave him."

"Y-Yeah," he responded, his voice practically squeaking. "No problem."

"Have a nice day," Opal exclaimed, leading Thor out of the store. "Sorry for the trouble!"

Once they made it out of the store, Thor stopped walking, causing Opal to stop as well. Seeing those vivid blue eyes looking at her made the young mutant feel a shiver run up her spine. She couldn't pinpoint what exactly that shiver meant, but there had to be some kind of significance to it. Maybe it just had to do with whatever power Thor seemed to be exuding, a factor about the tall blonde Opal never noticed before. That powerful feeling was subtle but strong. Was it the way Thor held himself? It was no secret that he was very arrogant, so maybe that played a big role in it. Or maybe Opal's mind was playing tricks on her. Whatever the reason, there was definitely something about Thor that Opal hadn't seen or felt before. It was a curious feeling that settled heavily in the pit of Opal's stomach.*

"What's the matter with you?" she asked, folding her arms across her chest. Opal's tone was clipped, showing her obvious annoyance. "I thought you left town after what happened earlier. What're you still doing here?"

Thor's answer was a simple: "I needed a horse."

"A _horse_?" Opal snorted, shaking her head. "There's no way in hell you'd find anyone selling horses around here. Now are you going to tell me the real reason why you're still here?"

"I did." The simplicity of Thor's answers were quickly losing their humor. Opal figured it was probably his arrogance that was bubbling into his attitude at the moment. Maybe he was feeling very defiant after her intrusion. It didn't matter.

"Look, I'm really not in the mood for you to be acting like this," she hissed, "so get your head out of your ass and tell me the real reason."

With his brows shooting up in surprise, a hint of a smile came across Thor's lips. "I'm looking for a horse to get back home," he responded. It was a little more detailed than his previous answers, and Opal had a feeling that was about a detailed as they'd get.

Rubbing her hands on her face, Opal did her best to calm herself down. She could just _feel_ her blood pressure rising. "Why can't you just drive?" she asked. "Don't you have a car? A license?"

"A what?"

 _Oh my God..._ "Where are you trying to go to again?"

 **O.O.O.O**

It took some time, but Opal managed to get back to Jane's apartment and take her van. She made sure to let Darcy know, considering the college student was the only one available at the moment. Wherever Erik and Jane had gone to, Opal could've cared less. _(That was actually a lie. After what happened with those 'S.H.I.E.L.D.' people, Opal was pretty worried on whatever plans they had left for the small group.)_ Opal made sure Thor stayed with her at all times, not trusting him to be wandering off by himself. It was through sheer luck that Darcy didn't see the lumbering blonde, and Opal thanked her lucky stars Thor didn't make himself known. He had told Opal outside the pet store he still planned on going to the crater site, but he needed a quick way to get there. And considering he didn't know what a license or a car were, she'd have to be his transportation. As _terrifying_ as that sounded.

"You're crazy, you know that, right?" Opal looked over at Thor, who sat comfortably in the passenger's seat. "The government's apparently claimed that site all for themselves, why're _you_ so interested in it?"

"It will prove my worth." The two shared a look before Opal gave a disbelieving snort. "This humors you?" There was a light chuckle in Thor's words, and Opal shrugged, keeping her hands firmly on the steering wheel.

"I don't even know what to think of this," she said, shaking her head. "I'm taking some random guy to a crater site because he wants to be _worthy_. I don't even know what's going on anymore."

"I can see where this may be odd for you," he said.

"It is very odd." Opal looked at Thor for a moment, a solemn look was on his face. "Have you ever done something like this before?"

That was when he started cracking a smile. "Many times," he chuckled. "You're brave to do it."

Opal hummed in response. "I wouldn't call it brave," she said. "It's stupid. Erik's gonna have my head once he finds out."

"Is he your father?" Thor asked, looking over at her.

"No, he's a close friend. I'd like to consider him a father figure."

"Does you know about your magic?"

Furrowing her brows, Opal stole a quick glance at him. Thor's gaze was on her still. " _Magic_?" she stressed.

"Yes. The magic you performed at the eating establishment," Thor answered. "Stopping the cup, gathering the information. That was a form of magic, yes?"

Opal simply shook her head. "I don't do _magic_ ," she said. "Crap like that doesn't work here. What I did back there...whatever you saw, that was all me. No tricks, no illusions."

"How can that _not_ be magic?" Thor pressed. "Where I come from, it is common for people to practice in such things. And it is not considered... _crap_ , as you say."

"There's no such thing as magic," Opal said, her voice tight. "What I can do...it's part of my mutation."

"Mutation?" The confusion laced its way into Thor's voice.

"It's genetic," Opal responded. "Fathers carry the mutant genes. It's either passed to their children, or it's not. It's a guessing game, really."

There was a moment of silence, and Opal had to wonder what was going on in that man's head. She could've used her telepathy, but she knew better than to do so. Using her telepathy always felt intrusive, so she tried not to use it if she could help it. But Thor's unusual silence made her feel a tad antsy. What if he didn't believe her? She didn't believe his claim on magic being real. Who's to say he wouldn't believe her claim on there being mutants? He _saw_ her use her telekinesis to stop the cup he threw in Isabela's. He saw her use her telepathy to get info on the crater site. Why _wouldn't_ he believe her?

"I've never heard of these 'mutations'," Thor responded, a thoughtfulness hiding behind his words. "You Midgardians are strange."

"Thank you?" Opal responded.

"But this mutation of yours," Thor went on, "it makes you unique. Clever. Far more clever than anyone else in this realm."

"Realm?" Opal laughed, glancing at him. "Really?"

"You think me strange?" Thor asked, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Yes. Yes I do." A small smile came across the young mutant's mouth. "Considering you think us...what was the word? _Midgardians_? Considering you think us _Midgardians_ strange, why not clump you in there?"

A light chuckle escaped Thor. "Good strange or bad strange?" he asked.

Taking a moment to just look at him, Opal thought it over. His gaze was on her, waiting patiently for a response. Since the moment they first met, Thor had been very...eccentric? Overly imaginative? Was there a proper word for him? Was there an appropriate way to _describe_ him? Thor changed Opal's life and her friends' lives so quickly they were still trying to process most of it. And with everything that happened with those S.H.I.E.L.D. people, they were given even more junk to process. Jane's research was being heavily documented by a bunch of weird people in suits claiming to be the good guys. There were people dropping from weird sandstorms, talking about realms and magic. There were no proper explanations for what was happening, and Opal didn't like it. So when it came to Thor being a good strange or a bad strange, there was no definitive answer that came into Opal's mind. He was, for the meantime, just _strange_.

"I don't really know," she answered. "I'd have to know you better first."

It may not have been the answer Thor was looking for, but it was the best answer Opal could give.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Sorry for the wait _(and for the terrible chapter)_. Work and school's been a total bitch, so I've been very overwhelmed. Hopefully you guys find some kind of enjoyment in this chapter, though. If there's any need for improvement, don't hesitate to let me know. Give constructive criticism where you think it's due.**

 **The MCU does not belong to me. All I own are my OCs and the subplots I put in. If you've got ideas for a subplot or an OC, don't hesitate to let me know. Leave a PM or a review.**

 **How many of you have seen THOR RAGNAROK? If you ask me, I think it's better than the first two THOR movies. While the first THOR is, in my opinion, better than the second, RAGNAROK definitely does a better job with its characters than the first two. The movie was actually funny! It felt like they finally allowed some character development for Thor! Loki was being the same lovable piece of shit! Jeff Goldblum was hilarious as the Grandmaster, he was perfect for the role! I loved how the Hulk/Bruce Banner was in the movie. Cate Blanchett was a total badass as Hela, and I absolutely adore Valkyrie.* And Korg! I freakin' love Korg. Just, in general, I thought the movie was amazing. But that's just me. What did you guys think?**

 **I digress.**

 **Let me know if there's anything I can improve on.**

 **Thanks a bunch.**

 **Judith W**


	10. Chapter 10

_"There will always be those who mean to do us harm. To stop them, we risk awakening the same evil within ourselves. Our first instinct is to seek revenge when those we love are taken from us. But that's not who we are..."_

-James T. Kirk; **from Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013)**

* * *

For a little while, Thor and Opal remained silent. Opal continued driving to the crater site, and she couldn't help but have her nerves get the better of her. She was actually doing something dangerous. Something that she usually wouldn't do. That alone made her feel a bit overwhelmed. Not only that, but Opal was _certain_ the second Erik found out, he'd chew her ear out. Thor must've picked up on Opal's behavior, much to her disappointment.

"You seem upset," he pointed out, a slight look of concern sweeping across his face.

With a humorless chuckle, Opal shrugged, tightening her grip on the steering wheel slightly. "I'm just a little antsy, I guess," she sighed. "This isn't something I do often." The last statement had a sarcastic lilt to it, and she saw Thor frown out of the corner of her eye.

"Nothing will happen to you," he swore. "This is something _I_ must do."

"I accompanied you," Opal pointed out. "I helped you out, even if I don't physically go down to the site with you. That's enough to get in serious trouble."

A look swept across Thor's face. He let out a noise as he considered what Opal had said. Glancing at her again, Thor gave a short nod. "Nothing will happen to you," he replied. "Your safety will be another priority."

With a snort, Opal shook her head. "Gee, thanks," she muttered. "I'd rather get this over with, if that's not asking too much."

A small smirk came across Thor's face. "I'll be in and out in no time," he said softly, a hint of smugness in his voice.

All Opal could do was shake her head.

 **O.O.O.O**

It would be about a half hour before Thor and Opal made it at least _close_ to the crater site. It had been Thor's request to park Jane's van far enough from the area where no government officials would see them, and that thought alone made Opal's stomach twist anxiously. She'd never done something like that before. What they were doing was _illegal_ , and Thor seemed so indifferent to the whole ordeal. Was he always so reckless?

"Come with me," Thor practically commanded, opening the passenger's side door. His blue eyes caught Opal's gaze for a moment.

"I'm not going," she snapped. "I drove you here, I'm not killing myself for a satellite."

"You said at that eating establishment there was no satellite," Thor said firmly, "only a hammer. I need to reclaim it, only then will Father know my worth."*

A feeling of dread did overwhelm Opal. She had no idea how a hammer equates to worth, but it apparently meant the world to Thor. She also knew she couldn't let him go down there on his own, since the chances of there being guns and other weapons seemed high.

 _You'd be able to conceal yourselves,_ she thought. _One of the few benefits of telepathy._

"Fine," she said. "I'd be able to conceal us with my telepathy. Whoever's down there won't be able to see us."

With a satisfied look on his face, Thor stepped out of the van and slammed the door shut. Leaving Opal in the car for a moment longer. What had she agreed to?

 **O.O.O.O**

The walk to where the crater site was was definitely long. But the duo knew they were getting close once they started hearing noises and seeing lights. The sun was already getting lower and that made Opal even more anxious. Would the people down there be able to see them? She vaguely remembered the two men at Isabela's saying men in suits coming to clear everyone out not long after people started gathering. If they saw Thor and Opal, they'd be arrested before anything had a chance to happen. That alone made Opal rethink what she was doing.

"You're sure about this?" she murmured, looking up at him. All he gave was a curt nod. "Do you mind if I make a call really quick?" Looking down at her, Thor thought it over before nodding hesitantly. Taking out her cell phone, Opal motioned Thor to stay put while she dialed Erik's number. While it relieved her that it went straight to voicemail, it also scared her. That meant she'd have to deal with the consequences later. "Erik? It's me," Opal sighed. "I came by Jane's earlier to use her van, but only Darcy was there. I don't know where the two of you went, but I won't be home for a while. I am with Thor. He needed my help. If you don't hear from me in a couple hours, don't worry. I'll be fine."

After hanging up, Opal let out a breath and did her best to prepare herself for what was about to happen. Deciding to turn her cell off, Opal shoved it in her pocket and hurried back to Thor. He was shifting from one foot to another, looking restless.

"Do you feel it?" he asked, looking up at the sky.

"Feel what?"

"The change in the air," he responded, a smile on his face. "I know that feeling."

Furrowing her brows, Opal tried to figure out what he was talking about. The air did feel heavier, as if it were stuffed full of static. There was also the feeling of there being a possible rainfall coming. It was odd. Opal hadn't felt something like that before. For Thor, the feeling was familiar; it was comforting. On Asgard, whether Opal believed him or not, Thor had the ability to bring about monstrous thunderstorms and rage filled rainstorms. He was able to bring enemies to their knees with a single swing of Mjølnir. That was why in that moment, feeling the staticky air was bringing him the reassurance he felt he needed. His Father would see the error in banishing him, in forcing him to come to Midgard. His worthiness would be restored once Mjølnir was in his possession.

"We must hurry," he exclaimed. "I have a good feeling about this."

"That certainly makes one of us," Opal muttered. With that, she and Thor made their way to the site.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Sorry for the wait on this chapter, burn hope you guys enjoy it! Let me know what you think, whether you like it or not. Constructive criticism is always helpful.**

 **This definitely isn't a long chapter, nor is it well written, but this was the best I could come up with during finals week. Give me a few days or weeks and I should be writing decent chapters before you know it.**

 **Nothing in the MCU belongs to me. All I own are my OCa and the subplots I put in. If you've got ideas for OCs or subplots, PM me or leave a review!**

 **Since today is technically Thursday and it's a day late to be talking about this, but how many of you saw the AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR trailer on YouTube? I know San Diego comic con had their own version of the INFINITY WAR trailer, but I never went to comic con so I can't do any comparisons between the two. Nevertheless, I thought the trailer released on Wednesday was fantastic and I cannot wait until the movie's released!**

 **I know for sure there are people speculating on who will live and who won't make it to AVENGERS 4. I think Vision will probably die since the trailer showed the Mind Stone being taken from his head. At least an attempt to rip it out. I've also heard that it's one of Thanos' children who's trying to take the Mind Stone from Vision, and then there's talk of Scarlet Witch starting some kind of alternate reality or something? I don't know. I'm vaguely aware that Scarlet Witch is capable of starting new realities so maybe that is a thing. You can probably tell I'm not a huge comic book reader. But I digress.**

 **What did you guys think of the INFINITY WAR trailer? Who do you guys think will die? Personally, I'm betting between Captain America, Iron Man, or Thor. I've been hearing rumors a while back that someone does die within the first 15 minutes of INFINITY WAR, but that could just be a silly rumor. Besides, if any of the original Avengers dies, it has to be sometime who's been there since the beginning and someone people are very emotionally dependent on.**

 **Again, I digress.**

 **Let me know if there's anything I should improve on.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Judith W**


	11. Chapter 11

_"Nobody exists on purpose, nobody belongs anywhere, everybody's gonna die. Come watch TV."_

-Morty Smith; **from Rick and Morty (2014)**

* * *

The air felt as if it had gotten heavier, the staticky feeling seeming to intensify. Not only that, but it was starting to lightly rain. Was that a good thing? Opal couldn't tell. Thor seemed to revel in it, finding the rainfall exceedingly comforting and motivating. For Opal, it was a distraction. The way down to the crater site had a steep decline and that meant slipping on dirt that was getting wet. As always, however, it seemed as though Thor was able to go down with ease, not at all bothered by conditions of the ground or the weirdness of the weather.

 _If I end up going to jail because of this guy,_ Opal thought miserably, _or getting myself killed, I'm personally going to kill him._

"You're gonna have to slow down," she called out, catching herself as she slipped. "If I'm going to be the cover, you're gonna have to stay close to me."

Thor looked back at Opal for a moment, seeing her struggling to get down and catch up to him. He had to admire her determination, albeit it was hesitant. Thor could see that she wasn't as excited about the ordeal as he was, and he had to admit he did pressure her a little into accompanying him. But what was he _supposed_ to do? That _pet_ _store_ Opal mentioned back in town didn't sell any horses, and Thor knew he couldn't get there quickly on foot. Odin had made his body mortal; Thor didn't have any of the typical Asgardian enhancements.

"Tell me how your abilities will keep us concealed," Thor announced, his voice booming over the intensifying rain.

Opal threw a heated glare his way. "First off, keep your damn voice down," she muttered. "Secondly, my telepathy can alter people's minds. I'm allowing them to see what I _want_ them to see. As long as we don't physically touch them, and as long as my concentration doesn't break, they won't see us." Letting out a huff, Opal brushed some of her damp hair out of her face. "When I'm using my telepathy to conceal, especially when there's more than one person, I have to have that other person _close_ to me. Which means you can't go wandering off. They'll notice you, which means they'll go _looking_ for _me_."

A look of deep reflection came over Thor's face. What she said made a fair amount of sense. As long as they were in close proximity of each other, her powers should be able to keep them hidden. There were still some things about it that didn't make a _lot_ of sense, but that could wait for another time. It was a sentimental thought, though, Thor thinking he'd stay on Midgard after re-possessing Mjølnir. Once the hammer was back in his care, Thor would call to Heimdall and finish what he'd started with the Frost Giants.

"Understandable," he responded. "As long as we remain undetected..."

"We will," Opal interrupted; her tone firm. "My telepathy isn't _as_ strong as my telekinesis, but it'll do fine as long as you _listen_ to what I have to say."

"You have my word," Thor replied; a hint of a smirk on his face. He was happy to admit Opal had feistiness about her. Thor had to acknowledge he found that feat admirable, if not a little attractive. On Asgard, Thor was rarely _ever_ called out on his behavior, only when it started to cross boundaries did his friends and family speak up. Loki would do so by alerting guards or Heimdall. Sif and the Warriors Three would look for any kind of persuasion that would catch Thor's attention. Odin, as it would seem, found banishing his son to be a way to call Thor out on his behavior. It seemed a bit uncalled for, maybe even unnecessary, but Thor was willing to do whatever he could to prove himself. Even if it meant enduring his companion's feisty attitude.

"Good." Opal's eyes narrowed slightly as she regarded the tall blonde. The rain had Thor's hair clinging to his face and neck, his clothes - particularly his shirt - were starting to cling to him. Being able to sort of see the outline of his muscle beneath the dampening fabric made Opal's heart pound in her chest. Yeah, Thor was an attractive guy, but he _knew_ just how attractive he was, which was a bit of a turn-off. A grimace almost worked its way onto the young woman's face. Was she really starting to think about Thor's attractiveness, right before they were about to pull some kind of break-in in a government facility? She had to be _out_ of her mind. "Let's get this over with," she muttered. "I'd like to get home and cleaned up."

 **O.O.O.O**

The rain had started falling faster, harder. Thunder rolled out in a seemingly continuous wave. Thor seemed pleased with the sound, while Opal found it a bit unnerving. Was there supposed to be some kind of hidden meaning with the sudden weather change? Was the _hammer_ involved? That alone was a ridiculous thought. How could a hammer be responsible for changes in the climate? It was impossible. It _had_ to be.

Before the duo reached the bottom of the decline, Opal threw one of her hands to her temple, her fingers pressing gently against the area as she activated her telepathy. That was a trick she learned from Charles at the institute. Having a hand on the temple while using telepathy in that manner seemed to enhance concentration, and Opal never questioned it. The method helped her, so why bother going against what Charles taught her? Hopefully, though, the telepathy would be enough to cover herself and Thor as they ventured through the facility. The closer the duo got to the facility, the more Opal started to wonder what was going on. It didn't look like any government officials were working on _removing_ the satellite, it seemed like whoever decided to occupy the area was going to stay for a while. A chain linked fence covered the outward perimeter; Opal and Thor could see military vehicles and soldiers on the other side. Male and female soldiers were stationed at certain posts, other soldiers walking border with machine guns. Inside an obvious airtight, disposable base-of-operations, there were silhouettes of people inside.

 _"(This place looks really secure),"_ Opal said, telepathically linking her mind to Thor's. She could see his head snap in her direction at that. The reaction alone almost made Opal roll her eyes. She thought that, after everything he knew she could do, being able to mentally talk to him wouldn't be so surprising. _"(Whoever's running this place doesn't want any intruders. They may as well have brought half the army with them)."_ When Thor opened his mouth to say something, Opal waved her free hand to shush him. _"(Just think what you're going to say, I'll hear it)."_

 _"(This shouldn't be a problem for me),"_ he responded. _"(I've taken down far worse opponents)."_

A grimace came across Opal's face. _"(I'm telling you to not do anything stupid),"_ was her reply. _"(They've got guns. They'll kill you in a heartbeat if you try anything)."_

Thor's lack of a response made Opal feel a bit uneasy. She was already risking so much in hopes of keeping them hidden, and if Thor decided he wanted to go all Rambo on the soldiers and people down there, then he could deal with the consequences on his own. The choices he made would be his own, Opal came to realize that no matter what _she_ said, Thor would probably go out and do them anyway.

 _"(How do we get over the fence without drawing attention to ourselves)?"_ she asked. She watched as Thor looked around, his face serious. Motioning her to follow him, the duo made their way to where over to a part of the fence the didn't go all the way into the ground. Thor knelt down and started pulling it up, making sure there was enough room for the both of them to get in. Opal made sure to keep an eye on the soldiers on the other side. Some of them were starting to look over, probably hearing some of the noise Thor was making. Extending her telepathy just enough to reach them, Opal rewrote their minds to make them go somewhere else. _"(You'd better hurry. Some of those soldiers are starting to notice),"_ she said quietly.

 _"(Done)."_

Looking down, Opal's brows arched when she saw the opening. Thor had dug a little into the mud to make it easier for them to get in, and the chain linked fence had been pulled up just enough for them to slide in without any trouble.

 _"(You go first),"_ Thor said. _"(You'll be able to distract these soldiers, should any come over)."_

Nodding, Opal lowered herself down, trying to keep her hand on her temple and her concentration unfaltering. It took a minute for her to wiggle her way through, but she did manage to get in. A bit of frustration filled Opal once she noticed all the dirt and mud that caught onto her clothes, but getting dirty on a mission like this was probably part of the job. Turning to see the soldiers while Thor worked his way through, Opal could tell that they were sensing something off. Some of them were starting to _really_ pay attention to the perimeter, and that meant Opal's job had just gotten more difficult. Extending her telepathy even further, the young woman had to do a lot of rewiring of the soldiers' minds so they wouldn't come too close. A majority of them walked away, others looked a bit bewildered, instead going to talk to their companions.

Once Thor made his way in, he let out a soft puff of air. The rain was starting to pour relentlessly, the thunder seemed to intensify in sound. The two looked at each other for a moment, before making their way to the entrance of the facility.

 **O.O.O.O**

"What's going on?" Coulson made his way to where the techs were. Things had started going downhill once the rain and thunder appeared. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s best computers and heat signature devices were malfunctioning. All the cell phones were glitching. Not only that, but Coulson heard word from Barton that soldiers were starting to actively avoid a specific area of the compound.

"There's a _massive_ electromagnetic surge going on," Sitwell said.

"Systems are failing," another agent responded.

"What's going on with our soldiers?" Coulson exclaimed, his tone clipped. "Barton says they're avoiding a part of the compound."

"We thought we saw something approaching," Sitwell said, "but it vanished before we could get a look at it." Coulson's face darkened. "Whatever it was, it could've manipulated our soldiers."

"I need someone to check out the perimeter _immediately_ ," Coulson ordered. "Check every part of the compound, make sure no one has come in _or_ out." Picking up a walkie-talkie, Coulson got in touch with Barton. "You're our eyes upstairs," he said. "There may have been a breach, let me know if you see anyone who doesn't belong here."

 _"Got it."_

Taking a deep breath, the older agent tried calming himself down. Coulson couldn't afford to lose composure, he had to make sure everything continued to run smoothly. If Fury got word of what was going on, he'd be down in a heartbeat; no one wanted that. Fury left _Coulson_ responsible for the hammer mission, while everything with Tony was dealt with separately. Natasha should have a good hold on Stark for the time being.

The biggest question was how Barton or anyone else would find an intruder who made themselves go invisible?

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **I know this chapter's a bit overdue, but I hope you guys enjoyed it. I tried making it a long one, so hopefully you guys can at least find it tolerable at best. Constructive criticism is always welcome!**

 **The MCU does not belong to me. All I own are my characters and the subplots I put in. If you've got ideas for OCs or subplots, PM me or leave a review.**

 **Leave a thought on anything I can improve on.**

 **Thank you.**

 **Judith W**


	12. Chapter 12

_"We all change. When you think about it, we're all different people all through our lives, and that's okay, that's good, you gotta keep moving, so long as you remember all the people that you used to be. I will not forget one line of this. Not one day. I swear."_

-11th Doctor; **from Doctor Who (2013)**

* * *

Tension rolled off Thor in thick waves. Opal could very well see just how stiff his shoulders were, even the way he _walked_ had a stiffness to it. It could be just his desire to hurry up and get what he wanted; but Opal made it clear that he couldn't go running off whenever he felt like it. Considering there were plenty of armed people roaming about, the thought of Thor risking his life for a hammer seemed ridiculous. Almost preposterous. Opal wanted to keep the both of them as safe and alive as possible.

 _"(Will you stop being so tense)?"_ she grumbled. _"(You'll get your hammer, quit looking like that)."_

Thor's head turned to look down at her. _"(I could get to it much faster if we weren't proceeding so slowly),"_ he practically snarled.

 _"(Weren't you the one who pretty much pressured me into coming with you)?"_ Opal exclaimed; her concentration and control faltering for just a second. _"(Weren't you the one who thought it'd be a fantastic idea to infiltrate a government-sanctioned area? So tell me how it's my fault that I want to keep us safe)?"_

 _"(I'm built differently than you),"_ Thor responded, his tone almost harsh. _"(Your mortal body doesn't have the same advantages as mine)."_

 _"(Last I checked, you're just a human)."_ Opal stopped walking, looking up at Thor with a heated glare. _"(Nothing about your body is different than anyone else's. Just because you're taller and stronger, doesn't make you special)."_

A hardened look came across Thor's face. He was at his breaking point, which Opal couldn't understand. He was working himself up over something as stupid as a worthy-determining _hammer_. _Opal_ , on the other hand, was worrying about their safety. How was she supposed to do that if Thor was acting like a complete jackass?

 _"(If you're in such a big rush to get to your precious hammer, then do it by yourself),"_ Opal said firmly. _"(I offered to drive you, not have you act like an asshole to me when I'm trying to keep us safe)."_

Something flickered in Thor's eyes, something unfamiliar and unsettling. Whether it was anger, impatience, or some other thing, Opal couldn't say for sure. But she saw it flicker for a second before disappearing. She wanted to think he was reconsidering the way he was acting, but given how he'd been since coming in contact with Jane and the rest of them, that seemed unlikely. After a moment, Thor let out a frustrated sigh.*

 _"(We'll keep doing it your way),"_ he growled, _"(but the second it looks like we're in danger, I'm going to do something)."_

 **O.O.O.O**

Thor and Opal made their way into the facility, being sure to avoid any soldiers or agents on their way in. It took a lot of effort for the two of them to maneuver quietly down each corridor, but they did their best. Thor's body was still as tense as ever, his eyes darting from one area to the next, as if he were expecting something to happen. Opal tried to keep her telepathy to a minimum, just enough to keep herself and Thor hidden; but she also knew it'd be beneficial to have enough of it extended so she'd know who was coming down their path. The one thing holding her back was the technology the area had. Opal's mutation seemed to have a problem with interfering particularly sensitive machinery, which she couldn't afford to have happen in her current position.

 _"(We're not going to make any progress just wandering around),"_ Opal announced. _"(If we're going to find this hammer, we need to find a computer or something)."_

Thor's response wasn't quick, he seemed to consider what his next plan of action was before responding. _"(My best guess is Mjølnir is at the center of this place),"_ he stated firmly. _"(All we have to do is make it)..."_

Whatever Thor was going to say next was cut off by Opal's surprised gasp. A soldier had suddenly appeared from around the corner, right as the duo were about to turn. The soldier rammed into Opal's shoulder, causing the young mutant to stumble back and break her concentration. Neither Thor nor Opal had prepared themselves for that, and it took a moment for them to recover. For Opal, her blood ran cold as she watched the soldier blink at them in confusion before her eyes widened in disbelief and surprise. It was only to the horror of the young mutant that Thor's first instinct was to charge, obviously using his height and strength as his advantage over the poor woman. Instead, Opal threw out one of her hands, which caused the soldier to fly back and land with a sickening thud on the ground.

It became clear to the duo that others had heard what was going on, considering the footsteps that were coming their way. Opal's first instinct was to try and run, considering she didn't like using her powers to inflict harm. Sadly, it seemed her powers would have to be used in her predicament.

Looking up at Thor, she shoved him forward. "You need to go," she said. His brows furrowed when she said that. "They've already seen us. More are on their way. If that's the case, then they've probably alerted God knows how many more. I'll hold some of them off while you go on ahead."

"You'll be OK?" Thor asked.

With a humorless chuckle, the young mutant shook her head. "Of course not," she said. "I'm going to be fighting off soldiers and government officials. Who could say something like that? I don't know. Just go."

Placing a firm hand on her shoulder, Thor looked at her in the eye before a small smile graced his lips. "Fight bravely," he murmured. "Once Mjølnir is in my possession, I will return for you and bring you to safety."

"I'm holding you to that. Now go."* Opal watched as Thor ran off. She stayed put, waiting for the onslaught of soldiers and whoever else. Taking a deep breath, she prepared herself for the worst.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Not the longest chapter, and also not the best. Hopefully you guys can overlook the...awkwardness(?) of this chapter and tell me what was at least decent and what could use improvement. Other than that, here it is for you guys!**

 **Nothing in the MCU belongs to me. All I own are my characters and the subplots I put in. If you've got ideas for OCs and/or subplots that you'd like to have written in, PM me or leave a review. I'll put it in as quickly as possible.**

 **Like I mentioned before, this isn't my best chapter! Whatever constructive criticism you guys have will be greatly appreciated.**

 **Thank you.**

 **Judith W**


	13. Chapter 13

_"You know, you wreck everything you touch. Why not try and make something for a change?"_

-Lilo; **from 2002's Lilo & Stitch**

* * *

If Opal ever had her way, she wouldn't have to use her powers to inflict harm on _any_ one. She'd use them to _help_ people, to be nonviolent in how she approached situations that required her ability's usage. But in the real world, things didn't work that way. Opal didn't get to decide when she could use her powers or not, it usually depended on the person and what kind of situation she found herself in. Sadly, Opal found herself in a very tight situation thanks to driving Thor to the crater site. The plan she originally had for herself and Thor had changed drastically, with the tall blonde having run off to find his precious hammer while the young mutant was left to fend off whatever threat came her way. It wasn't the most _ideal_ plan, but it was something. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know that when it came to brute force, Thor was probably the one for the job, whereas Opal was more of a distance attacker at best. And that was _really_ pushing it.

So after Thor had disappeared around a corner, Opal was left with an unconscious soldier and the sounds of footsteps coming. Preparing herself for the worst, Opal made sure to keep some barriers in place, keeping herself and whoever else was coming at a safe distance. It wasn't much, and it definitely wasn't helping Thor out much, but it was all she was willing to do without hurting anyone.

The first person to run into Opal's telekinetic barriers was a young security guard, obviously caught off guard by what was happening. He seemed confused after running into what he thought was an invisible wall, but came to an understanding when he saw Opal standing on the other side.

"I'm going to need to see your hands," he called, one of his hands going towards his weapon. "Surrender now."

"I can't do that," Opal responded. More people started appearing, running into the barriers. They were confused for a moment until they saw Opal in the center, then it all made sense. From the looks of it, a lot of the people on the other side were either soldiers, security guards, or whatever authoritative figures or fighters the facility could muster up. And with all of them gathering around, pressing against the barriers and shouting orders and demands, there was a sense of overwhelming fear and anxiety. Opal had to do something, they were gathering more and more people, and Opal couldn't let that happen. "I'm sorry for doing this," she announced over them. Without even thinking about it, a wave of intense telepathic energy flooded the peoples' minds, rendering them unconscious. Just as Opal had the ability to snap people out of unconsciousness with her telepathy, she could use just enough to knock them out. It was something she didn't quite care for, but it had its usefulness.

Holding a hand up, Opal used her telekinesis to withdraw and destroy all weapons from the people surrounding her.

 _You need to get moving,_ she thought. _If you stay here, God only knows what'll happen._

Letting out a sigh, she nodded at the thought. She had to get as far away from the scene as possible. Maybe if she figured out where Thor had went, she'd be able to help him some. She'd already knocked out plenty of potential threats, giving him a bit of an advantage, but that didn't mean he wasn't facing someone stronger. So she started running down the hallway Thor had gone down, turning and almost stumbling on the unconscious forms of more security guards. Knowing that Thor could be anywhere in the facility at that point, Opal used her telepathy to scan every mind inside until she found the one she was looking for.

 _Definitely Thor,_ she thought. Opal jumped over countless unconscious bodies, knocking out more threats coming her way, and turning down a maze of hallways until she caught up with Thor. Once she caught up with him, she stopped for a split second to see him fight. He was very experienced, Opal could tell that much. And that was putting it lightly. His moves were a bit sloppy but still precise. He could attack a number of opponents at once without breaking a sweat, something that made Opal's nerves buzz in fear. She never saw that part of him before, the fighter. In the short time they've known each other, Opal only saw the cocky side of him. Seeing him easily throw men to the ground, knock them out in one hit, and kick them with such force they nearly flew back, made the young mutant feel unsettled. Just how much experience did Thor have in fighting?

Shaking her head, she ran up to Thor, easily throwing up a barrier when he whipped around with a fist ready. When he saw it was Opal, Thor lowered his fist and let out a huff of air. He seemed frustrated, to say the least. The amount of time he was spending fighting off security guards and suited men were putting him behind the schedule he had for himself.

When more men came out, running in their direction, Opal's eyes met with theirs and she let out another wave of telepathic energy. The men fell unconscious almost immediately. When Thor turned and saw their unconscious forms, he let out a sound of approval.

"We must hurry," he announced. "I sense we are close to Mjølnir."

 **O.O.O.O**

Clint had been watching the whole thing from his perch. It didn't matter that it was pouring down rain, or that the thunder was booming like there was no tomorrow. He could see their silhouettes through the facility's flimsy excuse for walls. Well, they couldn't be considered walls since it was made out of _tarp_. From what Clint could see, the man had the brute strength and the girl had some sort of special power. Coulson had sent a number of agents, security guards, and just general S.H.I.E.L.D. fighters to hold them off, but each and everyone had been taken out. If anything, Clint was rooting for the intruders.

 _"Barton, how are we?"_ Coulson's frustrated voice came from over the radio.

"You got anymore people they can take out?" The sarcastic remark wasn't beyond something Clint would say. He took his job seriously, but he had to admit that Coulson's need to keep sending in the underlings wasn't even a work-out for those people. "I can take them. I've got clear line of sight."

 _"I know you can,"_ was the response. _"Don't do anything just yet. I'll figure something out."_

"You'd better do it soon," Clint responded. "I'm starting to root for these guys."

 **O.O.O.O**

Thor and Opal continued taking out threats, keeping each other safe. Thor seemed to have more of an idea on where he was going, so Opal made sure to stay close behind. After a few more turns and knocking out a few more people, the duo made their way to an opening. The rain was pouring down almost violently, each roll of thunder was deafening. At that point, once the opening was in plain view, it felt as if Opal and Thor could take a sigh of relief. Since they were standing on a perch, that meant they had a somewhat easier time looking down at the ground. Low and behold, there was something on the muddied ground, in the center. From what Opal could see, it didn't really look like a hammer. It was shaped differently. The handle was thin and long, looking like it was made out of some kind of leather. What was really interesting was the part that was supposed to be the actual _hammer_. A good chunk of it was stuck in the ground, the only part that wasn't muddied from the rain. The ground looked as if it were growing _around_ the hammer, keeping it in place. What was visible showed that it was silvery in color, big and rectangular. It looked really bulky, and it made Opal wonder how _that_ could be considered a hammer.

For Thor, that was the whole point of their journey. All the fighting and effort they put in, for something that was partially stuck in the ground. He seemed to have relaxed some, which was probably good, but for Opal, she was still a bit tense. The hammer looked like it was pretty well stuck, so it'd be a miracle if Thor could get it out with just his hands.

Before they could even make their way to the edge of the perch, one final guard ran forward, practically tackling Thor back. Opal stumbled a little, surprised. When Thor sat up, a smirk was on his face. "You're big," he exclaimed smugly. "I've fought bigger."

Opal took a step forward to do something right as Thor stood up, but her arms were yanked behind her back. Thor didn't notice, his fighting with the guard resulting in the two falling off the perch onto the ground below. Opal tried to break free, but she couldn't, whoever had her kept her in an iron-clad grip. Turning her head slightly, she saw a guard who had to be about a foot taller than her. He had almost the same build as Thor, and Opal knew better than to do anything to him.

Once the guard started moving, pulling Opal with him, she could only hope that Thor could retrieve the hammer. There had to be one good thing that came out of all the crap they went through, right?

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Sorry for the wait on this chapter and the terrible writing/ending. Leave some constructive criticism where you think it's necessary, OK? That's important to me.**

 **Nothing in the MCU belongs to me. All I own are my OCs and the subplots I put in. If you've got ideas for OCs/subplots, PM me or leave a review. I'd love to see your additions to the story.**

 **Remember, constructive criticism is always welcome. I know this chapter isn't the best, and I'll probably do some editing of it in the near future, but for now, just let me know what you think. How did you guys feel about Opal helping Thor find Mjølnir? Could I put in more details, could I take some out? Am I not making sense in some areas? Should I explain a little more in specific spots? Don't hesitate to let me know. That helps me improve the story.**

 **Before I finish this off, I hope you guys had a wonderful Christmas and I'm hoping you have a great New Year, too.**

 **Happy holidays.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Judith W**


	14. Chapter 14

_"I don't like bullies. I don't care where they're from."_

-Steve Rogers; **from 2011's Captain America: the First Avenger**

* * *

"I have to say, Ms. Cunningham, you're very impressive." Phil Coulson stood in front Opal, a kind smile on his face. He was very serious about his statement; everything about the young mutant was impressive. How she could avoid detection so easily, to the way she could take down opponents with just the flick her hand. Her powers were very admirable. When Opal refused to speak, Coulson decided to keep going. "Not everyone can sneak into a highly secured facility like this," he commented, "especially one under S.H.I.E.L.D.'s jurisdiction." Clasping his hands behind his back, the older agent looked at Opal closely. She refused to meet his gaze; her expression was one of someone who was exhausted and slightly irritated. Coulson couldn't blame her; after everything she went through, it was only natural she feel that way. Her hair was damp, curling slightly as it dried. Her clothes were just as damp, clinging to her skin. There were traces of dirt and mud on her, as well. Before Coulson had a chance to say something else, he received word from one of his agents via walkie talkie. "Just one moment," he said, the smile remaining on his face.

Once he was out of Opal's holding cell, he took out his walkie talkie. "What's going on?" he asked. He would've preferred to stay out and watch Opal's companion take out the last guard, but he knew he had an interrogation to do.

 _"He's been detained,"_ one of the agents replied. _"He took down the final guard and tried to lift the hammer."_

Coulson hummed before responding. "Could he?" It was a question he already knew the answer to.

 _"No."_ The agent sounded like he was holding back a snicker. _"Nearly threw a temper tantrum."_

"Tell me where he's being held and I'll see to him."

 **O.O.O.O**

Thoughts were swirling through Opal's mind quicker than she could react. Two of the biggest ones being how Erik would react and whether she'd be thrown in jail. Opal knew that what she did with Thor was stupid, but she did what she did because she did feel like she was helping him. It was a reckless and idiotic way to approach it, but that was how Opal thought of the situation.

Another thought that came to mind was whether or not Thor got his hammer. She didn't get the chance to help him with the final guard, so she couldn't say for sure if he got it or not. All she could say was that there was one loud clap of thunder on her way to the holding cell, then it felt like everything went silent. No rain, no thunder, nothing. That was something that greatly unnerved Opal. And that Coulson guy...was he everywhere, or was Opal losing her mind? First, he showed up to take all of Jane's things, then he turns up at the crater site. What was up with all that? He made her feel very uncomfortable, with his calm demeanor and weird _smile_. Who smiled during interrogations? Especially when it came to breaking into a government facility? Everything about that Coulson guy set off red flags. And the fact that he _knew_ Opal and her friends - that _Erik_ knew about the people Coulson worked for - made the uneasiness in Opal intensify. Did Jane's data somehow correlate with Thor's hammer? Was there something she was missing?

 _You're going to drive yourself crazy if you keep thinking like that,_ she thought. _You shouldn't be worrying yourself over this. It'll work itself out eventually._

Would it, though? Ever since Jane ran over Thor in the desert, there were so many things going on that didn't make sense. Erik could try and rationalize it, Jane could work her ass off to find some sort of conclusion, Darcy could just go along with what was happening, but Opal was about to go crazy. There was no rationalizing what was going on, there wasn't a definite conclusion, and going with the flow wouldn't go anywhere good. Thor had to be some kind of bad sign. Things seemed to go wrong since the moment Jane first hit him.

 _You're panicking. Calm down or you'll tear this place apart._ With a light scoff, Opal buried her face in her hands. Maybe she was panicking, but how else was she supposed to react? _Take it easy. The sooner you get this over with, the better it'll be._ That deserved an eye roll. There was no way it'll get any better.

"Sorry for that." Coulson's voice snapped Opal out of her thoughts, causing her to jump a little in her seat. It was a surprise Opal didn't accidentally use her powers out of surprise - she'd done that a couple times before. "Now, Ms. Cunningham, I'd like to cut to the chase," Coulson said. "You've been on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s radar for quite some time. Your mutation interests us. If I'd known you'd be somewhat successful in breaking into our facility, I would have asked for mutant-detecting machinery."

 _"Mutant-detecting machinery?" Who does this guy think he is?_

Coulson studied Opal for a long moment, as if waiting for her to say something. When she didn't, he continued talking. "We apprehended your friend," he said. "For the time being, you're both in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s custody until we say otherwise. This might be an inconvenience for you, but we need to clear a few things." Opal's blood ran cold. They captured Thor? She thought he'd be able to get his hammer back; he'd made such a big deal over it. Did the guard manage to take him down? He was around Thor's height, maybe close to the same build, but it looked like it could've been an even match.

"Is he OK?" Opal asked, her voice soft.

A hint of a smile came across Coulson's face. "Your abilities are strong," he went on. "Strong enough to manipulate some of the best people we have here. And your friend...he managed to make some of our best fighters look like mall security guards. Who is he? Where did he receive his training?" Opal's brows furrowed. _Receive his training_? She didn't even _know_ Thor that well. Not to mention she didn't even know who he was before the last couple days. "Ms. Cunningham, we're trying to figure out how to make this right," Coulson went on. "S.H.I.E.L.D. always manages to find the info it needs. If you can't tell us where he got his training - or who he really is - then we'll have to conduct our own research." A beeping came off, causing Coulson to pause for a moment. Looking at a pager clipped to the inside of his suit jacket, he pursed his lips. "Don't make this more difficult than it needs to be," he said before walking out.

 **O.O.O.O**

Erik Selvig, renown astrophysicist and theoretical scientist, somehow managed to weasel his way into a heavily armed S.H.I.E.L.D. compound in hopes of getting Opal and Thor out. He received Opal's voicemail almost an hour after she'd called and his heart instantly dropped. He hoped that Opal would stay out of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s way, he had to beg and plead with Jane just to get her to _consider_ it. After listening to the voicemail, Erik had to come up with a semi-convincing lie just to get away from Jane for for a few hours, and then he had to drive all the way to the compound while thinking up a good excuse. Which was _not_ easy. Certainly people who work for S.H.I.E.L.D. have heard every lie and excuse in the book, maybe even trained to see through people's lies and deception. And just _thinking_ about what they could be doing to Opal, or even Thor, made a shiver run up Erik's spine.

And so, after weaseling his way into the compound, and talking to the man who ransacked Jane's apartment, Erik and that man Coulson stood there in a tense, somewhat awkward silence for a minute before either of them spoke.

"So _his_ name is Donald Blake?" Coulson asked, his tone giving away his disbelief in Erik's explanation. "And _she_ is your unofficial foster daughter?"

"Donald's, uh, he's a doctor," Erik stuttered, hoping to specify a little on his lie. "And I was good friends with Opal's father. I gave her a place to stay when she needed it. Always looked at her as a daughter."

Coulson's face was otherwise unreadable. He knew that Erik was lying, that there was more to the story than he was letting on, but he'd go with it to humor the man. Besides, if he let Opal and her companion roam free, that would mean sending out agents to gather intel.

"You're associating yourself with dangerous people, Dr. Selvig," Coulson replied.

"They were upset about what happened with Jane's research," Erik exclaimed. "It took _years_ to gather all of that data. Her life's work, gone."

"That still doesn't explain how _Donald_ managed to tear through our security."

Erik simply threw his hands up. "Steroids," he said. "He's a fitness nut. And Opal...she's just going through a tough time."

For a second, Coulson turned his head to one of his techs. While Erik tried explaining the whole situation, Coulson had his men running a background check on the supposed Dr. Blake. It showed falsified documents. As for Opal, they already had all the information they needed on her beforehand. If Selvig had done any changes to Opal's documents, the techs would be able to easily compare the differences.

"It says here he's an M.D.," Coulson replied. While calling out Selvig's lie would be easier, the older agent wanted to see just how far the discussion could go.

"He was," Erik exclaimed. "He, uh, switched careers. Became a physicist..."

Coulson kept a steady gaze at the man in front of him. Erik's attempts to cover for his friends were endearing, but it wasn't the best Coulson's heard. And he'd worked for S.H.I.E.L.D. for a good number of years.

"I'll take you to them," he said. "Follow me."

 **O.O.O.O**

Opal was picking under her fingernails, trying to keep herself distracted. She'd been left alone in her holding cell for at least over half an hour, maybe even close to an hour. Coulson hadn't returned, none of the other workers made an attempt to enter, so that meant Opal would be left alone with her thoughts until something arose. From time to time, the thought of using her powers to escape came to mind, but it was instantly shot down afterward. She wasn't about to risk her life again just to get her freedom back.

When the door to her holding cell opened, Opal prepared herself for Coulson, for some more questions and intense stares. Instead, she was greeted with Erik. He looked extremely tense, his eyes pleading with Opal to play along with what he was doing. "Alright we're leaving," he exclaimed. "I'm taking you home now." One of Erik's hands gripped Opal's shoulder and pulled her from the chair she sat on. Stumbling to keep up with him, the young mutant was surprised to not only see Coulson _(just for the fact that Erik was with him)_ on the other side, but Thor, as well. More importantly, Thor's condition was what surprised Opal the most. He was muddied and a little cut up. The earlier smugness and frustration was nowhere to be seen in his eyes; instead, there was a dullness, an almost emptiness, mingling with mild confusion.

Coulson ended up leading the trio out of the compound, a few other agents following behind them. Once they stepped foot outside, Coulson and the agents stopped, allowing Erik and the others to continue their way out on their own.

Opal, who stood between the two men, tried not to make eye contact with any of the workers; feeling a bit uncomfortable under the tension radiating off Thor and Erik. Erik wasn't making direct eye contact with anyone either, or, if he was, it was to see their reactions. Thor, on the other hand, was skimming the surrounding area, looking for any kind of threat.

"Dr. Selvig!" Coulson's voice stopped the three of them. They hadn't gotten very far, barely two feet into their trek out. "I'd suggest keeping him away from the bars. Maybe keeping a closer eye on that daughter of yours."

 _Daughter?_ Opal thought, briefly glancing up at Erik. _What exactly did he say to them?_

Selvig turned to look at Coulson for a split second, the tension coming off so thickly it could be cut with a knife. "I will," he replied.

"Where are we going?" Thor asked, keeping his voice low.

"To get a drink."

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Maybe not my best chapter, but I hope you guys find something enjoyable about it. If you have any constructive criticism, don't hesitate to let me know. That stuff is important for improving this story!**

 **The MCU does not belong to me. All I own are my OCs and the subplots I put in. If you've got your own ideas for OCs/subplots, PM me or leave a review.**

 **Like I mentioned before, leave constructive criticism where you think it's due. I'd appreciate to know what you think I should improve on. This story's progression also depends on how you guys think I could improve my storytelling skills. I really enjoy writing this, so knowing what to improve on is something I find very useful. It'll help me do well in my other stories, too.**

 **I digress.**

 **Thanks for all the support for the story.**

 **Judith W**


	15. Chapter 15

_"Hold my hand, Doctor. Try to see what I see. We're so lucky to still be alive to see this beautiful world. Look at the sky. It's not dark and black and without character. The black is in fact deep blue. And over there! Lighter blue. And blowing through the blueness and the blackness, the winds swirling through the air. And there shining; burning, bursting through, the stars! Can you see how they roar their light? Everywhere we look, the complex magic of nature blazes before our eyes."_

-Vincent van Gogh; **from Doctor Who (2010)**

* * *

Coulson's gaze remained on the trio as they hurriedly made their way out of the compound. He had ordered that they be followed, just to make sure they didn't do anything stupid again. It wasn't every day that a S.H.I.E.L.D. compound got broken into; Coulson wanted to ensure it never happened again. The last thing he needed was Fury coming out on news that there were continuous break ins by one of their unclaimed artifacts. Stark was already starting to cause enough problems, the last thing Fury needed was to deal with an unruly mutant and her "fitness nut" friend.

Maybe the whole ordeal with the hammer taught Opal and her friend a valuable lesson. It looked as though both of them gained _some_ kind of understanding, though it was hard to see what. Once the three of them were out of sight, Coulson opted to go back inside the compound. He had to figure out a way to work around everything that happened.

 **O.O.O.O**

"Do you have any idea how _idiotic_ that was?" Erik snapped, glancing over at Opal. Once the three of them made it to Erik's car, that was when the older man snapped. It didn't take a scientist to see just how close he was to some kind of meltdown. Erik was pretty much oozing tension, and it was pretty hard to ignore. Opal had opted to sit in the passenger's seat while Thor sat in the back, not uttering a word. "I thought better of your judgment, Opal. I really did."

"I get it, OK?" she barked. "What I did was stupid, you don't need to rub it in."

"Those people are _dangerous_ ," Erik went on. "Remember that pioneer in gamma radiation I told you about? He was doing research for _them_! I haven't heard from him in _years_!"

"Don't you think you're overreacting just a little?" Opal pressed. "They didn't do anything too bad..."

"Don't start with me," he interrupted. "They sent their security after you. You're lucky you're not in the hospital or dead."

"Erik, it was my fault," Thor said, his voice unusually calm and quiet. "I convinced her to come with me. She was trying to help me out before, but I pressured her into accompanying me."

Erik threw a heated glare Thor's way. "Oh, I've got a few words I'd like to say to you," he seethed. "Don't even get me started."

"Don't take it out on him," Opal said.

"That _hammer_ \- it's a legend," Erik exclaimed. "I grew up hearing those stories as a child. There is no Mjølnir, there are no Norse gods."

"Since when did this have anything to do with _gods_?" A bewildered look swept across the young mutant's face.

"He's talking about Mjølnir, the mystical hammer used by Thor, the God of Thunder."

"So?"

"It's not real," Erik snapped. "I've already had this discussion with Jane and Darcy, there is no way any of this can be real."

"You can talk about men specializing in gamma radiation disappearing after working with shady government officials, but the chances of _this_ being real is just too much?" Opal's brows furrowed. "No one thought it'd be possible for people to gain superhuman abilities from genetic mutations, but it happened."

"Opal, there is no comparison between Norse mythology and mutants," Erik scoffed.

"I _saw_ the hammer, Erik," she exclaimed. "It looked _different_ than any Earth hammer _I've_ seen. Not to mention the weather suddenly started changing once Thor and I got there."

A look swept across the older man's face. "I just can't believe it," he muttered.

"Well there's something going on and I'm thinking it's related to that stuff you grew up with."

A silence fell between the three of them for a majority of the ride. The tension was still there, even _after_ they were far from the compound. Opal could understand that Erik was tense from fear and concern; she felt the same way. There were so many things that were causing far too much stress than was necessary, and Opal wanted nothing more than to believe that there'd be some kind of rational solution for it. But after everything that went on in the compound, it didn't seem that easy. While the thought of Norse mythology being real was a big stretch, Opal wasn't about to throw it out the window just yet. Maybe there was some truth behind those old stories, something that was probably overlooked by however many generations of people.

It was about twenty minutes into the drive when Opal and Thor noticed they were headed back into town.

"Where are we going?" Thor asked, confusion lacing his voice. "You said we were getting a drink?"

"We are," Erik said gruffly. "But I'm going to drop Opal off first."

"What?" she exclaimed.

"You're going back to my apartment and you're not going to argue with me on this."

"Are you serious?"

"Very."

With a huff, Opal slumped into the passenger's seat. She didn't see anything wrong with going to get a drink, especially since her night was just as eventful as Thor's and Erik's. Without further argument, however, Opal allowed herself to be taken back to Erik's, since it seemed no one was in the mood to bicker.

 **O.O.O.O**

When they pulled up to Erik's apartment building, Opal grudgingly got out, muttering incoherently under her breath.

"I expect you to still be here when I get back," Erik exclaimed.

"I'm not a _kid_ , Selvig," she snapped.

"You could've fooled me with what you pulled today."

With a heated glare, Opal was about to slam the car door shut before Thor's shout made her pause. He fumbled his way out of the car before quickly walking to Opal. She could see something in his hands, which raised some curiosity and concerns.

"This is Jane's," he said solemnly. "It was all I could retrieve from that place." Handing it to her, Opal could see it was Jane's leatherbound book. It contained her notes and a lot of rough data analysis. Thor may not have considered it much, but to Jane, it would give her the foundation she'd need to restart her work.

"She'll appreciate it," Opal replied, giving him a small smile. "It's more than enough for her, trust me."

With a nod, Thor made his way back to the car.

Opal didn't even bother watching them as they drove off.

 **O.O.O.O**

Puente Antiguo only had one bar in the entire town. It was relatively popular with the older crowd, given no one was willing to travel over an hour to find a better one. Erik personally wasn't a drinker; he'd have a bottle of beer or two every now and again, but that was rare, too. The only reason he decided to go to the bar with Thor was because one, he needed to wind down after everything that happened; and two, he wanted to talk to Thor. While a _bar_ wasn't the best place to talk to someone, it seemed fitting for Erik's current mood.

"I'll tell you one thing," Selvig muttered, once he and Thor had a seat, "Darcy's a terrible intern, but she's a talented hacker."

Glancing at the scientist anxiously, Thor finally spoke up. "Thank you, for what you've done."

"Don't thank me," Erik scoffed. "I only did it for Opal and Jane."

"Are you in love with them?" Thor asked.

" _No_ ," the response was quick and sharp. "They're like daughters to me. I worked with Opal's father for a while and I taught at university with Jane's father. Good men, could never listen."

"Neither could I."

Both men fell into a heavy silence, Erik occasionally glancing over at Thor. It was obvious that whatever happened at the crater site effected him immensely. That usual arrogance that he had was gone; he was uncharacteristically withdrawn. Thor just looked incredibly vulnerable.

"I don't know if you're delusional, and I don't really care at this point," Erik sighed, "I just care about _them_. Something about you changed something in Opal. I've seen it. She doesn't do reckless things like that."

"I apologize for that," Thor murmured, slumping his shoulders.

"I'm not done." The firmness in Erik's voice was evident, causing Thor to shut his mouth. "Opal's a good kid. She's smart and the _last_ thing I want is for something to happen to her." A simple nod in response, something that Erik acknowledged. "Jane, on the other hand, is stubborn. She'll work her ass off until she gets what she wants. You've motivated her, Thor. Same for her, too, I don't want anything happening that might hurt her."

"I promise you, I won't endanger them, not anymore." Thor's voice sounded almost desperate.

"Good. If that's the case, I'll buy you one drink. And you'll leave town tonight."

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Hopefully you guys enjoy this chapter. I know I should've had it up sooner, but I got sidetracked. Leave thoughts on how you felt about this. Let me know what I should improve on.**

 **Nothing in the MCU belongs to me. All I own are my OCs and the subplots I put in. If you've got ideas for an OC or a subplot, PM me or leave a review.**

 **On that note, I'll leave you guys alone.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Judith W**


	16. Chapter 16

_"No motive is pure. No one is good or bad - but a hearty mix of both. And sometimes life actually gives to you by taking away."_

-Carrie Fisher

* * *

3 AM. That was when Erik and Thor returned. 3 in the goddamn _morning_. Opal couldn't go to bed, despite still being in a foul mood from earlier. Part of her was still a little wound up from everything that happened, but another part of her worried about whether or not Thor or Erik would make it back safely. What if they decided to go back to Jane's instead? There were plenty of opportunities to call Erik. But if they were planning on going to Jane's, then why did Thor give Opal that little notebook? All those thoughts disappeared once Opal heard the apartment door open. Erik's and Thor's laughter filled the apartment, loud footsteps echoed off the walls. Jumping up from her spot on the sofa, the young mutant saw Thor stumbling in with Selvig slung over his shoulder.

"What the hell happened to you two?" she exclaimed.

"We drank, we fought, he made his ancestors proud," Thor exclaimed, his voice just as loud as his walking. While turning a corner, the tall blonde accidentally smacked Selvig's head against the wall. The two men instantly started laughing again. "I'm sorry, my friend."

"His room's just down there," Opal sighed, pointing to a partially opened bedroom. "Put him on his bed, please."

Without a single word, Thor followed Opal's instructions, though he was quietly giggling. She took notice of how he stumbled, but tried his best to keep his balance. Erik seemed rather pleased with his current position, thinking the whole situation was a big joke, meaning that the two men had a _lot_ to drink. Which meant that Opal would have to get hangover remedies ready for the next morning.

Following behind Thor, the young mutant wanted to ensure that Erik wasn't damaged anymore than he probably was. From what Opal could see, she couldn't tell whether or not Erik had any outer injuries, but it was obvious he was heavily intoxicated. It was strange, seeing him in such a state. Selvig was usually very good at keeping himself sober; alcohol wasn't something he consumed a lot, if at all.

Once they made it into Erik's room, Thor practically tossed Selvig onto his bed, the two still laughing over some unspoken joke. Erik adjusted himself on his bed, waving a hand at Thor dismissively. "I still don't think you're the God of Thunder," he slurred, "but you ought to be." He was out like a lamp not even a second later.

With a chuckle, Thor turned his attention to Opal, who had yanked one of Selvig's blankets out from under him and did a half-assed attempt at tucking him in. It was the least _she_ could do while Erik was in his drunken state.* Once the blanket was covering him, Opal stood up straight and looked at Selvig with a huff. He'd probably be feeling _God_ _awful_ in the morning. He seemed more intoxicated than Thor, but that was probably because Thor was a bigger guy, younger, too.

Looking over at Thor, she saw his gaze on her and gave a nervous smile. With a wave of her hand, she motioned him to leave Selvig's room. Once Thor was out, Opal glanced at Erik one last time before leaving, as well. Thor stood just outside the bedroom, watching as the young woman closed the door behind her. When Opal looked up at him, she could tell he had calmed down some compared to his rather loud entrance. There was still a glazed look in his eyes, signifying he was still very well drunk.

"Are you hungry?" Opal asked. "I can fix you something to eat if you want." That was when a look swept across Thor's face. It was a look of conflict, as if he wasn't sure how to answer. Was it because of the alcohol messing with his system? Or was he _truly_ conflicted on how he wanted to answer? "Unless you want to go," she added, putting her hands up in surrender, "I won't force you to stay."

"No, I'd appreciate something to eat," he murmured, shifting awkwardly where he stood. "I will admit I haven't eaten since that eating establishment we occupied."

With a nod, Opal made her way to Erik's kitchen, Thor hot on her heels. "What're your thoughts on omelettes?" she asked, opening the fridge door.

"Omelettes?"

"Mashed up eggs. I think you had a plateful at Isabela's."

A sheepish look swept across Thor's features. "I'd appreciate some," he said softly.

 **O.O.O.O**

Thor watched in fascination as Opal cooked the _omelettes_. He had to admit, Midgardian food was _definitely_ different compared to the food he'd get at the palace. It was simple, not overly done with fancy spices or herbs. From what Thor could tell, from what he'd experienced so far, Midgardian food was not _too_ greasy, it wasn't something gathered from a hunt, nor was it something obtained during complicated trades. It was just _there_ , ready to be cooked and prepared. It was honestly astonished in Thor's mind.* He was really starting to see the differences in Midgard's culture compared to Asgard's, how the humans didn't rely so heavily on magic or anything that Thor found normal. Humans were simple creatures, content with the way their lives were going. They didn't throw extravagant parties after successful battles; hell, they didn't even _think_ about going into battles. Thor could see how Opal and her friends were just happy to be in each other's company, to be able to talk and spend time together without worrying.

Thor could see how Opal moved comfortably in her surroundings, noting that she had made Erik's living arrangement hers, as well. His mind wandered back to what Selvig had said back in the bar, how he compared Opal and Jane to daughters. That could explain the bout of protectiveness the older man felt for the young women. Then Thor remembered Erik wanted him to leave town. That had been the agreement that led to their drunkenness.

"How'd you and Erik get back safely?" Opal's question snapped the blonde out of his thoughts. "Considering how drunk Selvig was, and that he drove you to the bar..."*

"...We walked," Thor responded, leaning forward a little, studying Opal closer. "I'm not accustomed to the mechanics of his transportation. He was capable enough of giving directions to his home."

"I suppose that's good." There was a long pause. "Erik's car is probably going to be towed. I'll get that in the morning."

"If it's not too much," Thor murmured, taking in the wonderful aroma of the food, "I'd like to apologize for my behavior earlier." When Opal didn't respond, he continued. "You and your friends were kind to me, and I was far less grateful. And you...I don't think any amount of apologizing will make up for the trouble _I_ put you through..."

"It's fine," Opal interrupted. "You're right - apologizing won't take away from what you did, but you're willing to acknowledge it was a dumbass decision." She took out two plates from an overhead cabinet. "Do you like tomatoes in your omelette? Erik does that sometimes."

Thor nodded. "Opal, I mean it when I say I'm sorry," he pressed. "I put your life in danger because of my selfishness. I didn't want to see the error of my ways, I didn't want to believe I was doing anything _wrong_."

"Hey." Opal's tone was sharp and firm, causing the blonde to close his mouth almost immediately, stopping his next sentence short. "You apologized, didn't you? I'm forgiving you. Just don't do anything reckless like that again."

Looking down, Thor's eyes went and studied the table in front of him. He allowed his mind to wander a bit, to take in what Opal had said. On Asgard, before his banishment, he'd been known for his reckless tendencies. Usually, Sif and the Warriors Three, even Loki, had to help him out of the sticky situations he got himself in. Sometimes, Thor's father had to help him out, too. Like the battle he tried to start with the Frost Giants...

Thor had hoped that apologizing to Opal would lift a weight off his shoulders, but it only seemed to get heavier. Thinking of his days on Asgard allowed him to see what a fool he'd been. Thor never once _thought_ his actions through, what consequences would arise out of the messes he made. His ideology of being untouchable because of his princely status clouded his judgment, making his arrogance and ego skyrocket. Thor grew up in royalty, having been raised in such different circumstances, that he never considered what anyone else might be going through. When a plate filled with tomatoes and eggs came into his view, Thor looked up at Opal.

"You looked like you were thinking a little too hard," she muttered. "I put salt and pepper on it, too. Is that OK?"

"It's perfect, thank you."

Opal got Thor a fork before she served herself some of the remaining omelette. The two ate in silence, picking around their food for a moment before nibbling on what they picked up.

"Your powers, when you spoke of them you didn't seem fond of the subject." Thor's eyes glanced up at Opal for a moment.

With a sigh, the young woman shrugged before she continued eating. "It's not something I particularly care for," she said.

"Why?" he pressed.

"Why the sudden interest?" she countered.

"I think it's fascinating."

Shrugging, Opal stuffed her mouth with a final forkful of eggs before thinking of what to say next. "There's nothing really fascinating about it," she muttered.

"You said it had to do with genetics," Thor said, looking at her curiously. "My understanding on the subject isn't good. I'd like to know it better."

Opal looked at Thor for a moment. His sudden curiosity for her mutation was a bit odd, but her explanation from earlier obviously stuck with him in some way. But there was also something else - he was acting differently. Opal wasn't sure if it had to do with the alcohol he had, or if it was something else entirely, but he wasn't acting the same as he previously had been. Before, Thor held himself with an air of arrogance, as if he saw himself above everyone else. As Opal stared at him in that moment, she could see that he was starting to hold himself differently, almost like he was trying to make himself smaller in a way. It was honestly a little hard to tell.

Without a word, Opal stood up to get some pen and paper, leaving Thor at the table looking confused. The abruptness of her departure was something he hadn't expected, and it left him wondering if he'd said something wrong.* God, he hoped he hadn't said something wrong. When Opal came back with her materials, she sat next to Thor and let out a sigh.

"If what I'm saying confuses you in any way, you'll let me know, right?" she asked, looking up at him. He gave a single nod. Opal nodded in response. "This is generally what a human gene looks like," she said, drawing a rough sketch. She could see Thor's eye studying the drawing carefully, taking in every little detail. "It's something that pretty much everyone has. _This_ is a mutant gene."* Opal drew the mutant gene and looked up at Thor. His brows furrowed a little, looking between the drawings, looking deep in thought.

"It looks different," he murmured.

A hint of a smile came across Opal's face. She pointed her pen to the sketch of the mutant gene. "This is what I have," she said. "What millions of other people have. It's because of this little gene that people like me get their powers."

"But how does that happen?" Thor asked.

"I got the gene from my father. Scientists did studies on mutants and their families, and they found that fathers carry the mutant gene. Whether or not their kids are born with it is a guessing game."

"Is your father a mutant?"

"No."

"What of your mother?"

"She's human, too." Thor's brows seemed to furrow even more, if possible. "If two human parents have a child, there is a possibility of the child being a mutant. If _one_ parent is a mutant and the other is a human, the chances of any children they have being mutants rises; but there is still a possibility that their children could end up human. If _both_ parents are mutants, their kids will have an even higher possibility of being a mutant, but there is still a chance they'll end up human."

"So it's on probability?"

"I suppose, yes."

Thor studied the paper for a moment before looking at Opal. She was fiddling with the pen in her hands, as if she were waiting for him to come to some kind of conclusion.

"Does this make you unhappy?" he asked, motioning to the drawings.

"Being a mutant?" Thor nodded. "Kinda. Mutants aren't generally accepted in human society. We're typically seen as either rejects or monsters. There's no in-between."

"Where I'm from, one who displays abilities such as yours would have been welcomed," Thor said.

"Sounds awesome." Opal gave him a small smile. "Ya know, I still haven't figured out if you're a good strange or a bad strange yet. Even after all that bullshit we went through."

Thor let out a rumbling chuckle. "I hope you figure it out soon," he said quietly.

"Me, too."

A long silence fell between the two. Opal was still fiddling with the pen, and occasionally Thor would glance her way, trying to figure something out. He had to admit that Opal did have a certain beauty about her, something he failed to see before. Certainly she didn't have the same kind of beauty as Asgardian women, but Opal's was more... _wholesome_. Was that the right way to describe it? She wasn't donning extravagant clothing, she wasn't raised in a very rich or wealthy household. She was simply living her life in a comfortable way. Her auburn hair didn't hold the kind of silky appearance most Asgardian women had; Opal's was smooth but frizzed out ever so slightly at the end. Her green eyes showed a mixture of exhaustion and frustration. Thor realized that, in some ways, Opal was a very easy person to read when it came to her emotions. Her skin was pale, but not in a sickly way. She had a somewhat slender build, her curves standing out rather nicely.

That was when Thor realized he never took the chance to really _look_ at her.

"What was your childhood like?" he asked, the question slipping from his mouth before he could even stop himself.

The confusion that swept across the young woman's face was noticeable, and Thor instantly grimaced at that. "I didn't think you'd be interested in something like that," she said.

"I wish to know you better."

Putting the pen on the table, Opal sighed. "There's not much to really tell," she muttered. "My dad used to work with Erik, they were good friends. My mom didn't work; she chose to stay at home with my sister and I."

The mention of a sibling seemed to pique Thor's interest even more. "You have a sister?" he asked.

" _Had_ a sister," Opal corrected. "She's dead now."

"What happened?"

"She got sick. Simple as that." Opal saw the look that swept across Thor's face. He looked almost heartbroken. "What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry," he murmured, "for the loss of your sister."

"It's fine," she said. "It happened years ago. Do _you_ have any siblings?"

"A brother."

"What's he like?"

 **O.O.O.O**

For the remainder of the night, Thor and Opal chose to talk and get to know each other. It was sweet and simple. They got to see each other in a way they hadn't before, and with Thor's sudden change, Opal found herself liking his company more.

In the hours they spent talking, Opal learned that Thor was a prince, but had been banished by his father for his selfishness and brash behavior. His brother, Loki, was a trickster, always pulling off elaborate pranks or doing something that ended up with Thor getting hurt. From what Opal could tell, a majority of Loki's "pranks" always seemed to end with Thor getting stabbed; which she found a bit disturbing. Then came their parents; the father, the king, Odin, was powerful and all-knowing, his word was law. Frigga, the queen, was the kindhearted mother who loved her sons deeply, who cared for them and nurtured them the best she could. Thor would talk about how he took more after his father in some ways, and how Loki took more after their mother in others.

Opal found it all to be a bit overwhelming. She couldn't say with certainty whether she believed Thor was an actual prince, but after everything they went through, the possibility didn't seem too far off. Opal could say for sure that she was fascinated with how much emotion Thor put into the stories of his family. His eyes would gleam with excitement when he spoke of his brother and his features would soften when he spoke of his mother. When it came to Odin, he'd tense up slightly, but there'd be a sorrowful look in his eyes. When Thor spoke of his friends, his voice would become loud, almost booming, until Opal would remind him to keep it down for Erik's sake. The happiness that would sweep across the blonde's features at the mere thought of his companions made Opal smile a little. Thor was so easily excitable, so happy when it came to those he cared about. It was endearing.

For Thor, while he took much delight in talking about his own life, he learned that Opal was the exact opposite. She seemed rather uncomfortable talking about her parents more so than talking about her sister. Opal mentioned that her parents abandoned her in a hospital when her powers started showing themselves. She spoke of going to a school with people like her, how she flourished there. That seemed to be the only moment of happiness in Opal's life, aside from living with Erik. Thor felt so much sadness for her, knowing that she was tossed aside by her parents, that she hadn't even been told of her sister's death until after she passed. Opal tried to not look bothered by all of it, but it was obvious she was. Erik, Jane, and Darcy had been the only people who'd stuck it out with her, who gave her a chance to _be_ something. Thor saw that that was all Opal really wanted, someone who wouldn't give up on her.

When the sun had started rising, and Thor saw that Opal was struggling to keep her eyes open, he took it upon himself to help her to her room. Thor knew that he promised Erik he'd leave town, to let Opal, Jane, and Darcy have the normalcy they deserved. But he couldn't. Thor didn't _want_ to leave. He had so much to make up for, especially for Opal, after all she sacrificed for him. So as he laid her on her bed, pulling the covers over her, Thor silently promised he wouldn't leave her. He wasn't about to give up on Opal.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Holy poop this is a long chapter! Hopefully you guys like it. If you see anything that you think needs improvement, tell me and I'll try and get to it as quickly as possible. Tell me your thoughts on this chapter as a whole if you don't have any suggestions, too. I'd love to know what you guys think!**

 **Nothing in the MCU belongs to me. All I own are my OCs and the subplots I put in.**

 **How many of you guys are excited for BLACK PANTHER's release? It's sometime in February, right? For me, I'm really interested in how they'll interpret Wakanda. I know it's supposed to be a country that's highly advanced, but hidden away to look like a developing country, but I'm just really wondering how they'll set that up. If that makes any sense at all. And the fact that they have Lupita Nyong'o and Danai Gurira, two of my favorite actresses, in the movie makes me super excited. But, I'm getting a bit off topic. How are you guys feeling about BLACK PANTHER? Are you excited? Are you not really feeling it? What are you most excited to see in the movie?**

 **Thanks for all your support for this story!**

 **Judith W**


	17. Chapter 17

_"Not being secure affects us as humans. It throws us off our balance. It puts us in disarray."_

-Sonequa Martin-Green

* * *

Opal wasn't sure how long she'd been asleep, but it didn't feel long enough. Her body felt heavy and her eyelids even heavier. When Opal _finally_ managed to open her eyes, she had to blink back the grittiness before she could focus on her surroundings. She was in her bedroom, tangled in a blanket. A wave of confusion washed over her before she started to recall the night before. Opal had been talking to Thor for a better part of the whole night, she _did_ remember getting really tired, but she didn't really remember what happened after that.

That was when it started to make sense to her – Thor must have put her to bed. An almost embarrassed blush came across Opal's face. How conscious had she been at the time? Did she say anything stupid? What would he say to her once she left her bedroom? If he was still around, that is. The awkwardness he displayed after dropping Erik off had been a definite curve ball, considering Thor had been so consistent in his overly confident persona before. Maybe whatever happened between him and Erik during their drinks awakened something in him.

Slowly getting out of bed, Opal rubbed her eyes and let out a sigh. Turning to look at her clock, she saw it was midafternoon. Untangling herself from her blanket, she shuffled out of bed and paused for a moment. There was a smell she hadn't caught before. It was overwhelmingly bitter, but also a little burnt. Stumbling into her kitchen, Opal caught Thor struggling to work Erik's coffee machine, a look of complete bewilderment on his face as he tried figuring out the buttons. The contents _inside_ were so burnt it almost looked like it had charred itself to the thermal carafe. The smell intensified once Opal reached the kitchen, and she crinkled her nose in disgust. She wasn't much of a coffee drinker, though she did enjoy the general smell of the caffeinated drink. Once it got all burnt and overdone, she'd get sick.

"What are you _doing_?" she muttered. Stomping over, Opal turned the machine off and removed the carafe to pour out whatever liquids remained.

"I was attempting to make that delicious beverage from before," Thor stammered, his cheeks turning a light pink. "That _is_ where it's done, right?"

"Yes." Opal sighed and buried her face in her hands. "Don't touch it if you can't _work_ it, OK? You'll end up breaking the damn thing."

"My apologies," he rumbled. "I didn't mean to make such a mess."

Removing her hands, Opal could see there was a bit of a mess _around_ the coffee machine, too. A few spilt contents here and there, but nothing that couldn't be easily cleaned up. "Just...check on Erik, please?" she sighed. "I'll clean this up." With a silent nod, the tall blonde walked out of the room to go check on Erik. It was a surprise the smell wasn't making him sick, seeing as he was super intoxicated the previous night. Opal did have to give Erik credit, however, if he managed to sleep through the whole thing. But, once Thor was out of the room, the young mutant ran a hand through her auburn hair, her green eyes taking in the failed attempt to make coffee. The one thing she was impressed by was how quickly Thor seemed to understand the mechanics of the coffee machine. He didn't seem at all tech savvy, so that must be a big step forward for him.

 **O.O.O.O**

When Thor made it to Erik's room, he quietly peaked in, seeing the older man sprawled on his bed, mumbling a little in his sleep. For the most part, it seemed as though he remained unaware of his surroundings, probably sleeping off the last remnants of the previous night. Thor had been pleasantly surprised at how entertaining Erik was when drunk, how easily he could get riled up when provoked. It was an experience the tall blonde wouldn't mind going through again. Maybe it'd allow the two men to truly bond.

Once he'd left the room, Thor made his way back into the kitchen, where Opal was scraping some of the cooked on coffee off the carafe. Her brows were furrowed and her lips were pursed into a thin line. Thor could see how her shoulders hunched a little, as if she were in her own little world. Her auburn hair was a wild mess, and there was a hint of exhaustion radiating off her.* A small smile came across Thor's face at that. He thoroughly enjoyed the chance of taking in Opal's features. Why he hadn't done so earlier didn't make sense to him. Maybe it was because she tried so hard to make herself invisible. The way she had spoken of herself, of others like her, made Thor wonder why they were feared and hated so much. Opal was a genuine person, and he admired that about her. Combined with her fiery attitude, and she seemed almost invincible in Thor's eyes. She would have made for a fine warrior on Asgard. Female fighters were a rarity on his homeworld, with Sif being among the few Thor was acquainted with. Asgardian women were respected to a degree, though they were seen in that culture to provide heirs for the rich. To be the house moms, the caretakers. Men fought the battles, brought honor to their families and kingdom.

Thor's shoulders slumped. Odin and Frigga had taught him that, one day, he'd find himself a bride who'd bear him children, the future heirs to Asgard. He believed wholeheartedly in that. He thought the ideas of women fighting alongside men was astounding – he'd always admired the Valkyries as a young boy, always exclaiming how he wanted to be one – but he knew that Asgard had certain societal expectations for everyone. But Opal...she had a warrior's spirit, Thor could see it. He could see the determination to keep her friends safe, he could see she did have a level of self-preservation, as well. Sadly, Opal, from Thor's understanding, didn't hold herself in high regards. She knew what others thought of her, what they thought of her community. Her family had abandoned her because of her powers. Humans saw her as a freak of nature. Very few people showed genuine concern or interest in her.

Squaring his shoulders slightly, Thor promised himself all over again that he'd be there for her. She deserved to have someone show her just how worthwhile her company was, how important her as a person was. Opal may not see it, but Thor would do everything in his power to _make_ her see it.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **What do you guys think? This chapter is significantly shorter than the previous one, so I hope you can forgive me on that. But whatever criticism you can muster up for this chapter would be very helpful. I'm always willing to read what you guys think!**

 **Nothing in the MCU belongs to me. All I own are my OCs and the subplots I put in. If you've got ideas for OCs/subplots, PM me or leave a review. I'll try and add them in as quickly as possible.**

 **As a side note, I've heard BLACK PANTHER has been receiving phenomenal reviews. To me, I'm super excited to see it. Lupita Nyong'o and Danai Gurira are two of my favorite actresses and they're both in the same movie. So, really hyped about that. I also am really interested in how they incorporate T'Challa/Black Panther in a solo movie. Obviously they're doing something right, because people are loving it. Anywho, I digress.**

 **Thanks a bunch.**

 **Judith W**


	18. Chapter 18

_"Listen to me, Morty. I know that new situations can be intimidating. You lookin' around and it's all scary and different, but y'know...meeting them head-on, charging into 'em like a bull – that's how we grow as people."_

-Rick Sanchez; **from Rick and Morty** (2013)

* * *

Thor was a mystery. The man from the wormhole who'd been tasered, run over twice, and demanded he be taken to some mystical hammer in the middle of a government facility. It didn't make any sense whatsoever. On top of that, Thor's attitude before the crater site only seemed to add onto a general dislike Opal had for him. Despite his physical attractiveness, his arrogance and complete disregard for those around him made him look ugly. His need to make himself look good, to boost himself up in whatever means necessary, made him undesirable. Opal didn't have a _whole_ lot of experience with men, but she knew an asshole when she saw one. And, before the crater site, Thor was a _very_ big asshole. But whatever it was that changed him after her capture at the site seemed to open her eyes a little. He seemed more self-conscious, a bit more uncertain on what to do. It was almost like he needed help finding his way. Was that something Opal would be willing to do, or would she be content with him moving on? Thor seemed to be content with the outcome of the site visit; and whatever happened between him and Selvig seemed to solidify whatever he was going through.

Maybe everything could finally even out.

That was something Opal wanted more than anything at that point.

So, as she finished cleaning the mess Thor had made, the young mutant wondered how much normalcy would be returning. It didn't seem as though Thor would be leaving, so maybe only small tablespoons would be pouring in at a time. Opal didn't exactly find that comforting, but it was better than nothing. She'd take what she could get. She'd have to remind herself later that even _before_ Thor had arrived, things seemed to be a little out of the ordinary between Opal and her friends. Jane's near obsessiveness with her research, Erik's constant parenting over the young women in his care, and Darcy's carefree attitude – it was almost like a dysfunctional family. Not to mention all the trips Jane would make everyone go on, it was overwhelming, but it was something everyone was used to. Would Thor's lingering presence be a normal feeling for everyone? If he decided to leave, how would everyone feel about it? If Jane were to attempt to restart her research, the absence of her test subject would set her back even further.

With a sigh, Opal pinched the bridge of her nose. She could've been overthinking it all. Everything had gotten so weird so fast that she had trouble processing most of it.* Secret government factions, weird hammers, Norse mythology – how could anyone explain that in a way that made sense? Opal was still having trouble understanding how she got out of the _facility_ in one piece. That Coulson guy was diving right into his interrogation, wanting to get whatever useful information Opal might have.

Shaking her head, she tried shoving Coulson and his lackies out of her head. She wasn't in the mood for them at the moment. It was a new day, and while it started off a bit unpleasant – in Opal's case, that is – she was really trying to make the best of it.

"Opal...?" The sound of Thor's voice snapped the young mutant out of her thoughts, causing her to jump in surprise and let out a frightened shriek. Turning, she saw the tall blonde standing in the kitchen entryway, looking almost uncertain in his stance and expression. His blue eyes twinkled with an almost hard-to-determine emotion, and it made Opal's stomach twist nervously. How long had he been watching her? How did she not notice his presence earlier?

"You scared the crap out of me," she muttered, placing a hand over her heart.

Thor's expression softened somewhat. "My apologies," he said formally, a hint of a smile on his lips. "I came to tell you Erik is still slumbering. Would it be wise to wake him up?"

"Let him sleep." Opal waved the suggestion off. "He'll come around when he's ready."

A simple nod was Thor's response. And with that, the two stood in silence, albeit a somewhat awkward one. Neither knew what to say to the other, and it seemed to make the situation even worse. Even in his milder mood, Thor's presence stood out. It honestly _baffled_ Opal in how that was the case.

"I'm sorry for the mess I made," Thor said, sounding almost uncomfortable. "I wanted to make that beverage. Coffee, was it? I believed it would be a good way to start the morning."

"That was nice of you," Opal said, giving a somewhat forced smile. "But if you're unsure on how to use the machine and what to add, then ask for help. I'd be more than willing to show you."

Walking over, the gigantic blonde gently clasped his hands in front of him. "You were tired," he said softly. "I didn't want to wake you."

"That's sweet of you."

When Thor was less than a foot away from her, Opal felt her heart quicken a little. He, obviously, loomed over her, but he did his best to not look intimidating. Opal could see Thor was hunching his shoulders ever so slightly, as if he were discreetly trying to make himself look smaller. Strands of his hair fell in front of his face, his blue eyes glittering with some undetermined emotion. Opal wanted to figure out what that emotion was, but she just couldn't figure it out.

"I don't get it," she murmured, trying to study him closer.

"You don't get what?" Thor's brows furrowed a little, a soft frown etching its way onto his face.

"You're a completely different person." Opal took a small step forward. "I'm trying to understand what could've happened to you. You're so...nice."

"Why not look into my mind? You have that ability."

With a light chuckle, Opal nodded. She could've used her telepathy, but she didn't want to. The intrusiveness of it made her feel uncomfortable, even if she were given consent. Opal wanted people to have their privacy. "It's fine," she sighed. "I've never liked using it. It always felt wrong."

"With such a gift, I'd imagine you would be proud of it."

"From everything I've told you, you should know I don't really care for it all that much."

Thor's features seemed to soften just a little more. "I can't see why you'd hate your powers so much," he murmured. Gently, he brushed some of Opal's hair away from her face, his fingers just barely touching her skin, before his hand rested securely on her shoulder. "You have a _gift_ , Opal. You may see it otherwise, but it is something you shouldn't be ashamed for having."

Feeling his hand on her shoulder caused Opal's skin to break out into goosebumps. There was a firmness to the grip and it left her feeling a little breathless. Not only that, but the firmness in his voice when it came to her powers made her heart leap in her chest. She'd heard about how useful her powers were from Jane, Darcy, and Erik, and when it came from Thor, what he said was a variation of what Opal had heard thousands of times before. Jane would try and reassure and attempt to convince her to come do field research, hoping building up the young mutant's confidence would be helpful. Darcy seemed to have a whole mini-speech rehearsed and would use it to calm her friend's insecurities. Erik, on the other hand, seemed more genuine in his approach, and Opal appreciated it. He wasn't saying some rehearsed little speech or trying to get something out of it. Opal, however, seemed to have difficulty taking Selvig's words to heart. She had trouble taking _any_ reassuring words to heart. While he was being the most genuine, it was just harder for her to process it.

"I don't get why you're so adamant about this," Opal muttered. "Having everyone's thoughts in my head all the time? It's horrible. Telekinesis was easier than dealing with the thoughts."

The hand that Thor had on her shoulder tightened for a split second before moving upwards, gently cupping her cheek. "I could help you," he suggested. "I may not have the kind of powers you have, but I can support you. I can _be_ there for you."

Opal's brows furrowed. " _Be_ there for me?"

"To give you positive support and reassurance." Thor's eyes glittered almost excitedly. "My friend, Sif, is one of the strongest warriors I know. No one believed she was capable of such excellent fighting until I supported her. And until they actually saw her fight."

"Erik supports me." Opal tried to take a step back, but she felt as if she were frozen in place under Thor's gaze. "My old teachers at the institute supported me. And I still ended up like _this_."

"Do you trust me?" Thor asked.

"Not really."

With a chuckle, he nodded. "That's fair. But let me be here for you. Let me prove that I can help you when things get hard. I don't want you to do anything alone."

 **-0-0-0-0-**

Even after claiming the throne, Loki still felt a heaviness weigh him down. He could say it was because of the truth of his true heritage, or that he betrayed Sif and the Warriors Three, even his whole family and world. But that wasn't quite it. It was something he couldn't really explain. He knew that with the Allfather in Odinsleep and Thor still banished, someone had to take up the throne to protect from enemies, and Loki took up that offer quickly. He'd been raised an Asgardian prince, the throne was rightfully his. It didn't matter if Laufey was his father, or that Loki constantly lived in the shadows of Thor, the throne was _his_. To be King was his right. How could Odin try and deny him that? How could the Allfather put together such an elaborate scheme? Stealing an abandoned Frost Giant baby, lying about what that child could be in life. Thor, the true prince of Asgard, the biological son of Odin and Frigga. The reckless God of Thunder, said to rule Asgard and all the Nine Realms one day. Thor, who was bloodthirsty and violent and _idiotic_. How could _he_ be considered a good King?

The envy and disdain Loki felt for Thor was obvious, though the trickster did his best to hide it. He was supposed to be Odin's youngest son, supportive and out of the way. Maybe the bitter feelings Loki had for his brother were the cause of that heaviness. He'd gone to Heimdall to check on Thor, and it seemed as though the former prince was starting to thrive on Midgard, having made friends with some local humans. How Odinson managed to make light of what was supposed to be a punishment made Loki's blood boil. Thor was supposed to be in _mourning_. He'd been told his father had died. Even if it wasn't the truth, Loki only assumed he'd still be brooding over it. Brooding was one of Thor's many skills.

Was that why Loki was so upset? Thor was starting to make a better life for himself on Midgard? He managed to make friends with humans, maybe even find love with one of them. On Asgard, Thor had a long list of maidens he'd been intimate with, so maybe that puny little Midgardian was another one of his conquests. Either way, it didn't settle well with the trickster. It didn't settle well with him at _all_. He'd have to figure out a way to eliminate Thor, so maybe then Loki could find peace.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Sorry for the wait, but I hope you guys at least tolerate this chapter. Let me know what could use improvement. Constructive criticism is always welcome.**

 **MCU does not belong to me.**

 **If you believe this chapter was poorly written, you're not alone. I tried writing this in the midst of finals week, so I'm assuming it's going to be messy and a little confusing. Don't hesitate to point out parts that don't make a lot of sense, OK? That's important.**

 **Thanks a bunch.**

 **Judith W**


	19. Chapter 19

_My children were raised_  
 _You know they suddenly rise_  
 _They started slow long ago_  
 _Head to toe healthy wealthy and wise_

-Heroes and Villains; **by the Beach Boys**

* * *

Opal Cunningham was overthinking, that was what she believed. She'd think too deeply into Thor's sudden attitude change. She'd think too hard on what Erik had told him the night before. She'd _really_ think about the steady growth of her conflicting emotions for Thor. It was kind of torturous. Opal didn't _want_ to think so much into things like that, but once her mind started on something, it would keep going and going, diving deeper and deeper into it until it drove her nearly _insane_. Letting out a sigh, Opal rubbed her face. She'd have to calm herself down, but she wasn't sure how at the moment. After her little discussion with Thor, she chose to make breakfast. Erik hadn't awoken yet, and time would only tell when he _would_. He was certainly drunk the night before, and if his hangover didn't get him sick, maybe the smell of breakfast would. Looking back at Thor, Opal's mouth thinned a little. He was setting the table, as per her suggestion. He was being as careful as possible with the dishes and silverware, but somehow he was still managing to be a little too rough with them.

 _Maybe I should've done that,_ Opal thought solemnly. Shaking her head, she tossed the thought from her mind. Thor had to do something, too. He couldn't just sit around and do nothing. The one thing Opal did notice was, and it was only a recent discovery, was that Thor seemed a little more eager to pull his weight. He'd set the table if Opal asked him, he'd check on Erik if it meant seeing if the older man was OK. He'd _listen_. Before, it was obvious Thor hadn't had a single person tell him _no_ in his entire life. He had everything handed to him on a silver platter. Opal could admit, wholeheartedly, that she did enjoy the change in him. He wasn't so arrogant, he wasn't making demands or expecting people to follow him wherever he went. It was a _very_ nice change, seeing him listen and do what he was told. _If he is a prince like he says he is,_ Opal thought, _how nice would it be to see this kind of difference? Whoever his people are ought to be relieved, right?_ With a silent chuckle, she turned her head back to what was in front of her. She chose to cook scrambled eggs and bacon. If the smell woke Erik up from his stooper, it would certainly make him sick. And if he was able to hold down food, she'd get him some toast and water.

"I've finished setting the table," Thor announced. He sounded a little proud of himself, which made Opal try her hardest not to chuckle at. In a way, he was acting almost like a little kid, when it came to finishing simple tasks. Thor wanted the approval and acknowledgment for what he'd done.

Turning back to glance at him, Opal could see his chest puffed out _just_ _a_ _little_ , and an excited gleam in his eyes. "You did good," she responded. "I'm gonna start making breakfast, OK? If you want to watch TV or whatever, go ahead."

"Would I be able to assist?"

The question caused the young mutant to arch a brow. " _You_ want to help make breakfast?" she pressed. "Are you sure?"

Thor nodded firmly. "After my failure with the coffee, I believe I should make up for what I did," he exclaimed.

Opal studied him for a moment. He sounded so sure of himself, wanting so badly to help out, even if he didn't know what he was doing. It was definitely heartwarming, Opal would admit that much. She did have to wonder just how long Thor's willingness to help and listen would last. For some people, the ability to change was something that occurred easily, for others it either happened for a limited amount of time or not at all. Thor Odinson was a little difficult to tell.

"You don't need to get all worked up over the coffee," Opal responded. "Mistakes happen, it's normal. Now get over here if you're so determined to help."

 **O.O.O.O**

Teaching Thor how to make breakfast foods was an adventure in and of itself. He didn't know how to be careful or gentle, so when Opal tried to tell him how to effectively crack open eggs, he practically destroyed almost half the eggs in the container. That task was quickly taken away from him. He assured her he'd be able to mix the eggs in order to prep them before cooking, but he splattered a good portion of it on the stove. Opal, in the end, had him sit back and watch. She knew he'd make a mess, but he was so _adamant_ — asking her all kinds of questions and wanting to know what to goes where. But when it came to the mess he made, Opal knew she couldn't allow him to keep going. She should've known better, honestly.

"Do you always cook breakfast for Selvig?" Thor asked, watching as his companion seasoned the cooking eggs.

"Sometimes." She glanced over at Thor for a moment before focusing on her task. "He usually settles for coffee most mornings. Working with Jane doesn't allow much time for breakfast most days."

Thor simply nodded. The two sat in a brief silence before groaning could be heard from Erik's room. Thor immediately stood up, his body tense and his eyes alert. Opal just put a hand on his upper arm, hoping to calm him down.

"He'll be fine," she said gently. "He's just not feeling well."

"Should we assist him?" Thor exclaimed.

"Let's have him work it out himself, first. I'll get some water and medicine ready in a little bit."

While Thor didn't _like_ the idea, he chose not to argue further on it. He had a feeling Opal knew what she was talking about. Grabbing a mug, Opal filled it with water and placed it on the counter beside the stove. She'd removed the eggs from the heated surface, not wanting to burn anything. Thor chose to stay behind, not wanting to get in the way.* When Opal left the kitchen, that left the uncertain blonde to wonder what he should be doing. The sounds of Erik were still going on, only some muffled words were accompanying them. The amount of alcohol the older man drank was impressive, and the thought of a hangover, one especially brutal, didn't seem to process in either Thor's _or_ Erik's minds. For Opal, however, she seemed rather unimpressed with it all. Which, in a way, could be expected. She looked up to the astrophysicist, and having to see him come back completely hammered probably wasn't something she was comfortable with.

After a couple minutes, Opal returned to the kitchen and sighed. She looked a bit frustrated.

"Is something the matter?" Thor asked.

"He's sick." The mutant simply shrugged. "I'll wait until he's done and give him his medicine."

"...I'm sorry for that."

"You don't have to apologize. Erik won't usually drink that much; but I could tell he had fun."

"Still..."

"Still _nothing_." Opal gave Thor a stern look. "I don't know what went on with you two last night, but I'm happy it happened. Just don't worry me like that again."

Thor gave a single nod in response.

Sighing, the mutant nodded in return and then buried her face in her hands. It had been a long morning. "The eggs are pretty much done if you want to serve yourself," she muttered. "I'm going to lay down for a little bit."

"Are you feeling ill?" The worry in the blonde's voice was heartwarming.

"Just overwhelmed. I didn't expect a morning like this, is all." Opal could tell Thor was on the brink of another apology, but she cut him short. "Don't you even _think_ of saying 'I'm sorry'. Honestly, you don't have to keep saying that."

"I feel as though I'm doing a lot of things wrong."

"We're all doing things wrong right now." Opal gave a halfhearted smile. "Eat up, save some for Erik and I. Check in on Erik, too, would ya?"

"Of course."

"Thank you."

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Not my best chapter, but it's all I could come up with at the moment. School and work have been brutal, which is one of the reasons why this chapter was put up so late. If you guys could give me a little bit of slack in that regard, I'd appreciate it. Other than that, leave some thoughts on how I can improve this.**

 **Nothing in the MCU belongs to me. All I own are my OCs, my subplots, and an excitement for INFINITY WAR's release. If you've got an idea for subplots or an OC, PM me or leave a review and I'll add them in as soon as humanly possible.**

 **Thank you.**

 **Judith W**


	20. Chapter 20

_Lost the battle, win the war_  
 _I'm bringing my sinking ship back to the shore_  
 _We're starting over or head back in_  
 _There's a time and a place to die but this ain't it_

-Now; **from Paramore**

* * *

Once Opal was in her bedroom, she practically _threw_ herself on her bed. How one morning managed to be _so_ hectic baffled her. She knew a few of the things that happened were done under good intentions, but it still stressed her out. Thor's desire to be helpful was endearing, Opal was willing to acknowledge that, but part of her didn't appreciate the mess he'd made. Between the coffee and wanting to help make breakfast, the mutant knew that he'd have to be watched a majority of the time. Thor had a knack for inadvertently making mistakes, which meant he couldn't be alone under most circumstances. And while Opal _did_ leave him in charge of eating and watching over Erik, she was too tired to really care. She wanted to have a moment to rest and clear her thoughts. It felt like everything was starting to overwhelm her, which wasn't good. Closing her eyes, she let out a sigh and threw an arm over her face, covering her eyes. If she could just stop thinking about all the things that were going on, then maybe she wouldn't be so stressed. It was a helpful thought, and Opal knew it would be beneficial, but she also knew she would continue overthinking everything until she wore herself out. That was how it was for her sometimes; her mind just in a constant state of overdrive.

 _Just take a deep breath and calm down,_ she thought. _You'll drive yourself crazy, thinking about all this all the time. You came into your room to relax; so do that._

 **O.O.O.O**

Thor had taken a moderate amount of scrambled eggs and took it back to the kitchen table. He made sure to leave enough for Opal and Erik, just as requested, though he had wished for someone to at least keep him company. Thor usually wasn't one to constantly need companionship, though he did enjoy it when it presented itself. Letting out a huff of air, he picked up a fork and started eating the scrambled eggs. They were delicious, and he was grateful Opal had been generous enough to make breakfast despite the morning's craziness. Part of him wondered just what other delicacies she could come up with. By the time Thor finished, he gathered his dishes and put them in the sink. He understood that it was customary for dirtied dishes to go there to be cleaned.

"Oh God, did she _have_ to make eggs?" The sound of Erik's voice snapped Thor's attention to the kitchen's entryway. The older man looked pale and a bit disheveled, as if he'd just rolled out of bed. There were some dark circles under Erik's eyes, showing just how exhausted he truly was.

"How are you feeling?" Thor asked.

"Awful." The response was accompanied with a sharp laugh, with Erik rubbing his face with both hands. "I don't think I've had that much to drink in _years_."

"You made your ancestors proud."

With a grunt as the only response, Erik dropped his arms at his side and looked around the kitchen. It was in decent condition, minus the mess at the stove. It wasn't _too_ bad, at least. That had to be a plus, right? When his gaze fell to the mug of water by the stove, Erik let out a sigh of relief. "Is that for me?" he asked.

"I believe so," Thor responded. "Opal wanted to give you medicine, but she was going to wait until you were ready."

"She may be killing me with the eggs, but she's always considerate."

"There's bread for you, too, if you want that."

"Bread?" Erik's gaze went to the toaster, where he felt his stomach do a little somersault. His body was already feeling a bit nauseous due to the overwhelming smell of Opal's breakfast, but the toast seemed to make it a bit worse. Erik had to admit, though, that he _was_ grateful. Opal was trying. She was always trying to look out for the people she cared about. With a nod, Erik mumbled a few words of gratitude under his breath.

"Do you need any medicine?" Thor asked. "Opal requested I look after you while she rested."

"I'll be fine." The Norwegian man shuffled over to grab the water-filled mug. He took tentative sips and leaned against the counter. "I thought I told you to leave after our drink."*

"You did, but...I can't bring myself to leave Opal."

Erik's gaze went to Thor's quickly. It was intense and filled with a lot of emotion, none of which looked pleasant.

"I care about Opal," Thor explained, "I do. We talked last night, after you fell asleep. After what she told me, I couldn't bring myself to leave her. I want to be involved with her, to _be_ there with her."

"I'm not quite following," Erik grumbled.

"All I can tell you is that I don't want to leave her alone. I want to be with her, to help her and watch her become a better, stronger person. She deserves to have as much support in her life as possible. She didn't get it from her parents, and she only got a limited amount from that institute she attended."

"You're staying out of pity, is what you're saying."

"No," Thor sighed, throwing his hands up in exasperation. "I'm not staying out of _pity_. Opal is strong and capable, she can hold her own in a fight and I admire her for that. But behind every strong warrior should be family and friends who support them."

"Except Opal isn't a warrior. You dragged her into a secret government facility." Erik could see the defeat on Thor's face. The explanation was starting to make sense, and it was no use having the conversation go on any further. "But I think what you're saying is starting to make sense. Opal deserves people who'll support her in what she does, but I want that support to be _good_ on _her_."

"And I understand that completely."

"Well, considering you chose to stay, despite our deal, I'll give you one last shot. You prove to me that you'll be good on Opal. One wrong move and I want you out; I mean it this time."

"You have my word."

 **O.O.O.O**

Opal couldn't say when she fell asleep, but she did. She'd spent a couple minutes trying to calm herself down before her mind started wandering. She was remembering times from when she was at Xavier's institute, then to the move to New Mexico. Opal's mind was memory lane as a means of keeping her distracted, of trying to block out the overwhelming morning she'd endured. It was a pleasant feeling, and then she was asleep. Opal didn't know how much time had gone by since she started napping, but all she knew was that she felt a bit crappy when she awoke. It felt like someone sprinkled sand into her eyes and her body felt heavy. Her joints felt stiff and her breathing felt a little heavier. Slowly sitting up, she rubbed her eyes and grumbled incomprehensibly for a moment. After she dropped her hands, she just sat in her bed and looked around. She hadn't been disturbed by Thor or Erik, which was probably good, but also a little bad. Did Thor need any help with anything? Did he know what to give Erik for his hangover? She could faintly hear a muffled conversation between the two men, which was could very well be good. That meant Erik was up and moving around. Getting herself out of bed, Opal shuffled out of her room and into the kitchen.

By the time she made it there, she stopped just a little ways outside. She could tell even _before_ she made it to the kitchen that the two men were in some deep conversation. For a second, Opal reconsidered going into the kitchen at _all_ ; she didn't want to disturb either man from what they were saying, but she was hoping to get a bite to eat, too. It didn't seem to matter in the end, though, since Opal's appearance came around the end of the conversation.

 _Just go in there,_ she thought. _Looks like they're done talking; quit acting so nervous._

It was definitely easier said than done, but Opal knew that she wasn't going to be standing around all day waiting for something to happen. Thor and Erik looked to be done talking, that was all she needed to know. Once she _really_ entered the kitchen, both men turned to look at her. Erik looked exhausted, understandably, and Thor looked a bit upset.

"You guys OK?" Opal asked.

"We're fine," Erik responded, though his voice sounded a little strained.

" _You_ look like shit," she said, pointing to the hungover man, "and _you_ look upset." She pointed over to Thor, who hadn't said much since her arrival.

"Listen, we _are_ fine." Erik tried to make himself sound more convincing, but it wasn't really working. "I'm going to take some medicine soon to help with the hangover, and I'd suggest not eating those eggs. You've been out for a while."

Opal's brows furrowed. "How long was I out?" she muttered.

"A little over an hour," Thor answered. "You must have been more exhausted than you predicted."

Humming in response, the mutant went over to check on the eggs. They still looked fresh, and part of her was saying Erik was wrong in telling her not to eat it. Though another part of her reminded her she _could_ get a little sick from eating it. If they were sitting out for over an hour, she wasn't going to risk it.

"Any word from Jane or Darcy?" she asked. She picked up the egg-filled pan and dumped its contents into the trash.

"Not a _word_ , thank God," Erik grumbled, sipping from his mug.

"I still have Jane's book from last night," Opal sighed. "I should probably go return it to her."

"I'll accompany you," Thor offered.

"You sure? Someone should stay with Erik."

With a scoff, the astrophysicist waved the notion off. "Go, I'll do just fine by myself," he sighed. "I don't need either of you hovering over me."

"Well aren't you a little grumpy," Opal muttered sarcastically.

"I haven't been this hungover since I graduated college," Erik exclaimed.

Nodding, the pan was put into the sink before deciding to take a glance over at Thor. He looked upset, still, but it looked like he was trying to mask it more. The one thing that seemed to stick out for Opal was whether Thor wanted to go to distract himself or because he was genuinely interested in Jane's book being returned.* It was a little hard to tell, but she assumed it was a mixture of both reasons.

"I'll get dressed and we'll head out," she said.

Thor only nodded in response.

"Remember to take some medicine," Opal told Erik, giving him a pointed look. "You look like shit."

He simply chuckled as she walked out.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **OK, so one reason why I don't like this chapter is because I wrote it while severely sleep-deprived. And because I wrote it while in such a state, it turned out poorly written. If you can tell me which parts need improvement, I'll greatly appreciate it. Constructive criticism is always welcome!**

 **Nothing in the MCU belongs to me. All I own are my OCs, the subplots I put in, and emotional wreckage from seeing INFINITY WAR.**

 **So, I got to see INFINITY WAR on the day it actually got officially released! Now I'm just an emotional wreck. In my opinion, I honestly loved the movie. Each character had their time to shine and it filled me with so many emotions. I'd also like to just talk about the movie as a whole, but I don't want to give away any spoilers to those who haven't seen it! So for those of you who have seen the movie and are looking for someone to talk to about it, I'd be more than willing to do so over PMs. Other than that, you guys can leave thoughts on INFINITY WAR in your reviews.**

 **Thanks!**

 **Judith W**


	21. Chapter 21

_All that I want_  
 _Is to wake up fine_  
 _Tell me that I'm alright_  
 _That I ain't gonna die_  
 _All that I want_  
 _Is a hole in the ground_  
 _You can tell me when it's alright_  
 _For me to come out_

-Hard Times; **by Paramore**

* * *

Opal chose to take her time getting ready. She already dealt with a chaotic morning, she wasn't in the mood to deal with worry-crazed friends. Which, for one, Opal couldn't understand why neither Jane nor Darcy decided to call and check in on them. It seemed out of character for those two. Unless they tag-teamed and flooded Opal's phone with calls and texts, which would probably make sense. Considering _Erik_ hadn't received anything, the mutant would probably be the likely choice in having her phone ambushed. With a sigh, after she finished dressing, she chose not to brush her hair. Pulling it back into a ponytail, Opal walked out of her bedroom with her keys in hand and tennis shoes in the other. Thor stood just outside the kitchen, looking a little unsure on what he should be doing.

"Are you ready to go?" Opal asked.*

Thor nodded. "I was waiting for you," he mumbled.

"You're gonna need shoes if you're planning on coming _with_ me."

Looking down at his feet for a moment, Thor gave a sheepish chuckle before going to find his shoes. Opal couldn't help but smile a little. Someone as big as Thor was so uncertain with what to do, with how to approach things. Sure, there were a _lot_ of things about him that didn't make sense, but he was really trying. Opal could say that it was his upbringing that made him behave so oddly. The man claimed to be a prince from another world, that he'd one day "rule the Nine Realms", whatever _that_ meant. Certainly Thor's family impacted him enough to make him behave obnoxiously before the crater site, but it was obvious he loved them. But whatever went down with him and Erik had the biggest impact of all. It actually gave Thor a taste of humility. He wasn't sauntering around like he did before. He wasn't demanding things be given to him and he didn't have the same attitude as before. He was being respectful, patient. It was almost like the new Thor was something he wasn't accustomed to. Like he wasn't used to people treating him a certain way. All Opal could really think of, at that moment, was whether or not Thor would remain how he was, or if he'd revert back to how he was before.

When Thor came back with some tennis shoes on, Opal chuckled a little. They weren't on properly, and she motioned for him to sit down while she helped adjust them.

"When I'm putting on shoes, I find it better to untie them first, and _then_ put them on." Opal glanced up at him for a second. Thor was observing what she was doing intently, his brows furrowed a little. "That's just how I do it."

"I'm sorry for any trouble I've been causing," he sighed. "This is something I'm not very used to."

"Putting on tennis shoes?" With a chuckle, she finished what she was doing and did a quick double-check on her work. "It's not that hard, honestly. Some shoes are easier to put on than others."

"On Asgard, we don't have the kinds of attire Midgardians have." Thor stood up, his mouth thinned to a straight line. "I rarely ever left the palace to come here before my banishment."

"Well, I'll be sure to help you adjust, your highness," Opal muttered playfully.

"You don't have to call me that. I'm not a prince anymore."

Looking up at him, the mutant's eyes narrowed a little. He seemed genuinely upset. His eyes were clouded over a little and his brows seemed more furrowed than before. With a nod, Opal finished putting her shoes on and stood at her full height, letting out a sigh.

"I think it's about time we start heading out." Opal's comment snapped Thor out of his thoughts. He frowned at her for a moment before nodding in return.

 **O.O.O.O**

The journey to Jane's apartment seemed to take longer than usual. Maybe it was Opal, who still, possibly on a subconscious level, didn't want to deal with her friend's reaction. As much as Opal appreciated her friend, she knew Jane had a habit of blowing things out of proportion. That was part of Jane's personality. For Opal, she found it to be completely frustrating. However, her friend may be justified in any freak outs she may have. So would Darcy. While Darcy wasn't exactly as outspoken, in _some_ situations, she knew when to speak her mind. That was something Opal _liked_ about Jane's assistant. Regardless of their reactions, the feeling of time going slower to the apartment building was odd. It felt almost difficult to describe, although Opal wanted to believe it was her subconscious trying to slow her down. Either way, she was taking her time.

Thor, on the other hand, seemed rather antsy. He didn't seem to care so much for the leisurely walk. For Opal, she deduced his restless demeanor was something he just couldn't shake, no matter the circumstance.

"What's gotten you all riled up?" Opal asked. She glanced over at him for a minute, seeing how he'd occasionally wring his hands in front of him. It took him a moment to answer, however.

"I'm just worried," he murmured.

"About what?"

"I haven't been the most respectful person here, for starters." The humorless chuckle that accompanied Thor's words made Opal frown a little. "And I also fear what Jane's reaction will be once we return her journal."

"I can understand why you feel that way," Opal sighed. "But I can assure you that Jane will be more than pleased to have her journal back. It's the foundation for her research." For a moment, Opal swore a look of brief reassurance swept across Thor's face, but he still looked a bit antsy. "As for how you were before, does that really matter at this point? You've changed. We can put all of what happened before behind us. How does that sound?"

Letting out a breath, Thor nodded. After his discussion with Erik, and his late-night talk with Opal, he'd been so worried on how he could better himself as a person. Obviously behaving like the arrogant prince he'd been on Asgard was unacceptable. It was that kind of behavior that got him banished to begin with, that and his recklessness. After everything that's happened, everything he's been through since his banishment, Thor was going to do what he could to be the kind of man he needed to be. One who wasn't so obsessed with war and violence; one who didn't attack first and question later. To think it only took him being _banished_ to realize how much of a fool he was.

"Feeling a little better?" Opal pressed. Again, Thor nodded. "Just remember, Jane'll be _ecstatic_ to have her journal back. OK?"

 **O.O.O.O**

The rest of the journey to Jane's apartment went by smoothly. Thor did his best to keep himself calm. Part of him still worried about Jane's reaction to her journal's return, and another part of him was unsure on how the townspeople would think of him. He'd certainly made an impression of himself upon his arrival, and he came to know it wasn't a good one. Opal had done a good job trying to keep him calm, and for the most part it was sort of working. Thor wasn't _as_ concerned as he'd previously been, but it lingered for what felt like a lifetime. All he wanted was for it to stop, for him to feel a _true_ sense of calm and relaxation. If Midgard was going to be his new home, he wanted to make the best of it.*

Once the duo made it to Jane's apartment, they were met with Darcy, whose eyes became as big as saucers.

"Holy crap, what happened to you two?!" she exclaimed. "Jane and I were worried _sick_!"

"Seriously?" Opal scoffed. She and Thor made their way into the apartment. Darcy's eyes were still wide, an expression of disbelief and worry etched on her face.

"Yeah _seriously_." The assistant's eyes narrowed slightly, a scowl appearing on her face. "Erik was about to have a _heart_ _attack_ by the time he dropped Jane off last night! He told us not to leave, under any circumstances."

"Where's Jane?" Thor asked.

"She went out shopping. It's like she's incapable of listening sometimes."

"Do you mind if Thor and I stick around for a little bit?" Opal asked.

"Do you _have_ to ask?" The sarcastic remark caused Opal to roll her eyes. "I don't know when Jane's coming back, but I'm assuming it's soon. She left over half an hour ago."

"You don't think she's doing anything stupid, do you?"

Darcy seemed to think about the question for a moment, her shoulders stiffening before relaxing. She and Opal knew that when Jane got upset about something, she'd get a bit impulsive. Once that mindset set in, there was no way to really get it out.

"God, I hope not." Rubbing her face, Darcy let out a frustrated sigh. "I don't think I can handle anymore craziness."

"I can assure you, everything should be fine from here on out," Thor promised, sounding more sure of himself.

With a nod, Darcy crossed her arms over her chest. "That's good." There was a moment of silence between the three of them. They just wanted to appreciate a moment of normalcy. It seemed like that feeling was becoming increasingly harder to find. It was almost unfortunate. "Can either of you at least tell me if Erik's OK?" Darcy asked.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **First off, I'm so sorry for the wait on this chapter. I've been so overwhelmed with school and work that this was pushed to the very bottom of my to-do list. Hopefully you guys can forgive me on that. Second, I can assure you that this isn't my best chapter. If you see anything that could use improvement, don't hesitate to let me know, OK? I'd appreciate it. Constructive criticism is always welcome.**

 **Nothing in the MCU belongs to me. All I own are my OCs, my subplots, and a lot of emotions from INFINITY WAR. If you've got ideas for subplots or OCs, don't hesitate to let me know, OK? I'll be sure to add them in as soon as possible.**

 **Just out of curiosity, how many of you guys have seen INFINITY WAR? I don't now if I mentioned this in the previous update, but I've seen the movie, twice, and it honestly fills me with a lot of emotions. Other than that, I don't know what else to say.**

 **I'll see you guys soon.**

 **Thanks.**

 **Judith W**


	22. Chapter 22

_"And as frightening as it can be, that pain will make you stronger. If you allow yourself to feel it, embrace it, it will make you more powerful than you ever imagined. It's the greatest gift we have: to bear their pain without breaking. And it comes from the most human part of us: hope."_

-Professor X; **from X-Men: Days of Future Past** (2014)

* * *

Darcy was a bit baffled. No, not a _bit_ baffled; _extremely_ baffled. Opal had explained, to the best of her abilities, seeing both an intoxicated _and_ hungover Erik Selvig. That _alone_ blew Darcy's mind. The two women knew that the scientist rarely ever drank, if ever. They knew that if he _did_ decide to have a drink, it would be in small portions and not enough to even get him _tipsy_. So hearing that he'd been shit-faced and horribly hungover, it was like something out of a nightmare. It didn't feel _real_. Darcy just couldn't wrap her head around it. But then she noticed something else, something Opal had failed to mention before. Thor. Supposedly, the guy was going to go find something out of town. Some hammer or satellite or whatever. Darcy didn't think the details really mattered at that point, considering her focus was shifting from Erik's hangover to Thor's return. It added to her baffledness and brought up some confusion, as well. But, not only was Thor in Opal's company, but he was also different. Significantly different. Unlike his previous behavior - loud, obnoxious, and a bit narcissistic - he was presenting himself as quiet, well-mannered, and a bit awkward. A complete reversal of the man Darcy previously met and _tased_. It made her wonder what had really happened to lead to such a drastic personality change. She just chose not to ask, if Opal or Thor decided to give out those details, they would at the right time.

"Jane's OK though, right?" Opal asked. "God, I probably already asked, didn't I?"

"Actually you didn't." Darcy let out a sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. "She's fine. Nothing weird happened since you guys left. She's just stress shopping, maybe even asking around to see if anyone's seen you guys since last night."

Wincing, Opal let out a defeated sigh. "I'm sorry," she grumbled.

"With all due respect, it should be _me_ who apologizes," Thor gently intervened. "It was because of my selfishness that everything went bad. I didn't mean to cause any harm or bad feelings."

"No, you didn't," Darcy said, before rethinking her words. "Well, maybe you _did_ cause some problems, but no bad feelings. We're all just worried for each other; that's natural."

"Do you know how much longer Jane's supposed to be gone?" Opal asked, shifting where she stood anxiously.

"I don't know. I'd like to think she's coming home pretty soon."

Nodding, Opal tried for a smile. "Well, hopefully she _does_ ," she commented. "Thor managed to snag her journal at the crater site."

Mouth dropping and brows raised, Darcy looked between friend and acquaintance in shock. They'd traveled to the _crater_ _site_? And Thor managed to get something of Jane's back?! That was risky, that was bold, that was incredibly... _stupid_. Darcy wanted to yell at them, to tell them that their reckless behavior could've gotten them seriously injured, arrested, or _killed_. And neither of those options sounded nice.

"Are you _serious_?" Darcy sputtered. "You got her _journal_ back?"

Thor gave a hesitant nod. "It was the only thing I could retrieve from the location," he commented.

"Weren't there security guards and everything?"

"A few," Opal added. "It wasn't anything to worry about." She tried her best to keep out the whole Coulson part. Opal knew that if she mentioned those weird, suited men being the ones responsible for the crater site, then she'd have a thousand and one more questions. But Darcy, in certain situations, was quick to catch onto things. And she caught onto one thing Opal and Thor overlooked.

"Wait," she said, "why'd a bunch of scientists at a crater site have Jane's journal?" When neither of them answered the question, Darcy's lips pursed. "Did you see those weird guys at the site? Were _they_ the ones running the joint?"

"I mean...," Opal shrugged a little, hoping to find a meaningful answer. "We weren't in _too_ much trouble."

"Opal, are you guys _insane_?" Darcy cried. "Who _knows_ what they could've done to you guys! They're like, government crazies, for all we know! They stole Jane's stuff. I'm pretty sure that's illegal without special papers."

"Yeah, I know. But at least with her journal, she can start her research over."

"I guess," Darcy sighed. "But that means late-night expeditions and having to check and re-check all of her stuff. I came here to finish college, not get myself killed over stars and the weather."

"I see nothing wrong with observing the stars," Thor chimed in. "Back home, I'd learn about the constellations and their history. The birth and death of stars, their uses for other planets - it was all very interesting for me."

Opal and Darcy looked at Thor in a stunned silence. They wouldn't have taken him for a stargazing kind of guy. In all honesty, they wouldn't have guessed he'd be interested in anything other than being a dick before. But, it seemed as though the new attitude he was displaying was showing more and more the kind of person he was becoming. Not only that, Thor didn't really talk about how interested he was in stargazing with Opal. He didn't really talk too much about his hobbies to her.

"Is that what Jane's studies are about?" Thor pressed, trying to get the two women to stop staring at him. "Stars and constellations?"

"No," Opal said, blinking back her initial surprise. "Well, sort of, maybe. She's been doing a lot of studying on the atmosphere. Plus a little bit on auroras."

A thoughtful look swept across Thor's features. "Auroras are quite beautiful," he murmured. "What research has Jane gathered on them, I could be of assistance."

Before either of them could really continue, the door to Jane's apartment slammed open, with the brunette standing on the other end with grocery bags in hand. A wide array of expressions swept across her features before she settled on angry, confused, and irritation. Quickly storming into her apartment and slamming the door shut, Jane nearly _threw_ her groceries on the ground before practically sprinting over to where Thor and Opal stood. If that wasn't frightening enough, in Opal's mind, hearing her pretty much _yelling_ was even worse.

"Where the _hell_ did you guys go?!" Jane barked. "I've been worried _sick_! Erik _ran_ off, he didn't tell _me_ or _Darcy_ where he was going. Not only that, but I hear he's gotten into a _bar_ _fight_!"

When she took the time to breathe, that was when Opal chose to say something. "Look, we're all fine," she said, trying to calm her friend down. At that moment, Jane was red-faced and still struggling to control her erratic breathing. Her body was trembling and her hands were clenching and unclenching. "There was a bit of a disagreement between us, but it's good now," Opal tried, putting her hands on Jane's shoulders. "We've settled it, OK? Quit worrying."

"How can I _not_ worry?" Jane exclaimed. "I couldn't get ahold of you guys and Erik wouldn't tell us anything! How can I _not_ feel that way? Not to mention Erik was pretty much driven into a bar."

"It was my fault," Thor said quickly, taking a hesitant step forward. "I pressured Opal into accompanying me in a dangerous mission. Erik is the reason why we're both safe. I owe him, and Opal, everything."

There was a long moment of silence, the four of them anxiously looking at each other, unsure on how to proceed. The air felt heavy and uncertain, the emotions were running high and it seemed almost impossible to tone it down. After a long two minutes, Opal cleared her throat and pushed Jane's journal at her. After all, that was the point of the whole trip.

"Thor managed to grab it the other night," she said. "It was the only thing he _could_ get."

Looking at it in bewilderment, Jane hesitantly grabbed it, as if she couldn't quite believe what was happening. Swallowing thickly, she glanced up at Thor before smiling. "Thank you _so_ much," she exclaimed, throwing herself on Thor in a hug. "This will help me restart my research!"

Thor managed a small smile, placing a hand on the small of Jane's back.

After a minute, Jane pulled away and held her journal to her chest. The grin still on her face, she let out a shaky breath. "I, uh, I should start going over my notes," she concluded. "I'm still mad at you two...but thanks."

 **O.O.O.O**

"That went better than expected." Opal glanced up at Thor, a hint of a smirk on her face. "Usually Jane can't be that easily distracted when she's mad."

"She claimed to still be upset at us, though," Thor said, his voice questioning.

"Maybe a little, but not a lot."

Thor and Opal chose to stay in Jane's apartment for a little while, just to enjoy spending a little time with them. Darcy managed to convince Jane to let them all have a break from any planning she'd be doing, which she happily agreed on. Considering they all had a long night, the last thing they wanted was to jump back into fieldwork. For Thor and Opal, they were residing on the couch, watching television while Jane was scurrying around her apartment looking for supplies. While she agreed to not do _field_ work, that wouldn't stop her from starting some indoor work.

"I'm happy we have everything resolved, though," Thor hummed. "I was afraid of what consequences we'd face here."

"Trust me, Jane's not one to hold grudges. She'll be mad for a little while, but that's about it."

With a thoughtful hum, Thor's attention went back to the television. He understood almost _immediately_ how different Midgard was from Asgard. From the people to the culture, everything about the two worlds was so _different_. Asgard liked to marvel in its brilliance - the people, _Thor's_ people, held themselves in high regard. They liked to view themselves as superior in many aspects. Humans, for example, had that view, but it wasn't as intense. Midgardians did view themselves with a certain level of arrogance, but they also took the time to _be_ with each other. Thor had to admire that about them. In his short time on Earth, he came to understand how deep human bonds went. It's not to say Asgardians were incapable of bonding, but with humans, social status didn't seem to be a problem. Or, maybe that was how Thor viewed it. Opal always made time for her friends, and her relationship with Erik seemed to hold a certain level of familiarity, of an endless spectrum of emotions.

In the end, however, Thor had much to learn. He wasn't accustomed to humans, nor was he used to staying on Midgard for long periods of time. His previous adventures on the planet were always short-lived, with him using his stay to try and impress what he considered to be "simpleminded creatures". His powers were what gained him the moniker "God of Thunder". His very essence caused humans to worship him. But Thor had to wonder if any of that even mattered anymore. Did it really matter, in the long run, if humans worshiped him? Thor wasn't a god anymore. He wasn't a _prince_. All his powers had been taken away, Mjolnir saw him as unworthy. If Thor was going to live the rest of his days on Earth, the least he could do was learn their customs. What made humans the way they were? Obviously, connections. Thor had his friends back on Asgard, but he seemed to only be limited to _them_. On Earth, friendships could come from all walks of life. To many, Thor looked like an average human male. He was no different than the next person in their eyes. The only person who knew the truth about his background was Opal, and he was unsure if she even believed him or not. Looking down at her, Thor couldn't help the small smile come across his face. She had spirit, she would've made a fine warrior on Asgard. Her powers would've made her a worthy opponent. But her inability to truly see her potential was disheartening.

"Is there something wrong?" Opal asked.

Blinking, Thor snapped himself out of his thoughts. How long had he been staring at her? Was it long enough to make her uncomfortable? God he hoped he hadn't made her uncomfortable.

"Thor." Her voice, once again, snapped him out of his thoughts. Thor cleared his throat, trying to act nonchalant.

"I'm fine," he grumbled, settling deeper into the sofa.

"Are you sure?" There was a softness in Opal's voice. That softness expressed her concern, which made him let out a soft sigh.

"I know I've expressed this on numerous occasions, but thank you." Thor's admittance wasn't a complete lie. He was very grateful for Opal and her companions for being so considerate. How many people would've given someone like him a second chance? And after all the things he put them through...

"You don't have to thank me," Opal murmured, sounding almost embarrassed. "You've changed. That's what matters."

Thor looked down at her for a moment. Opal's hair was tucked behind her ears, but he noticed how the tips of her ears were a little red. Her cheeks were a soft reddish color, as well. She wouldn't meet his gaze, which was almost endearing in its own right. Thor also noticed the amount of space that was between them. It felt like such a great distance, despite it being just a couple inches. Taking a chance, Thor scooted over, hesitantly slinging one arm over Opal's shoulders once they were close enough. Her body tensed for a moment, and he wondered if he'd done something wrong. Then she relaxed. And he relaxed as a result. Thor had a lot to learn about humans, but he couldn't think of a better place to start than where he was currently at.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 _ **First off, sorry for the wait on this chapter. I've been working and trying to finish some homework I let pile up. If you've got ideas on how to improve this story, don't hesitate to let me know, OK? Constructive criticism is key. Also, just as a reminder for those of you who keep leaving me these reviews - when I upload a chapter, and it shows the previous one instead, I'm aware it's happening. I'm the one who's in charge of this story, so I know what's going on whenever I upload something. I'm not posting the previous chapter(s) on purpose, I promise. That's just what happens whenever I post a new chapter. So if you guys can just be patient with me and not constantly write "you posted the same chapter twice" reviews, I'd appreciate it. Again, this is not something I'm doing on purpose. The chapters will fix sort themselves out if you're patient.**_

 _ **I digress.**_

 _ **Nothing in the MCU belongs to me. All I own are my subplots, my OCs, and a growing love for Fairy Tail. If you've got ideas for OCs or subplots, PM me or leave a review. I'll add them in as soon as possible.**_

 _ **Question for you guys: How many of you have seen DEADPOOL 2? I know it's been out for a little while now, but I'd like to know, for those of you who've seen it, what your thoughts were on the movie. In my opinion, I thought it was a good movie, but the first one's my favorite. Leave your thoughts in the reviews.**_

 _ **I'll see you guys soon.**_

 _ **Thanks**_

 _ **Judith W**_


	23. Chapter 23

_gonna make you wonder why you even try_  
 _(Hard times) gonna take you down and laugh when you cry_  
 _(These lives) and I still don't know how I even survive_  
 _(Hard times)_  
 _(Hard times)_  
 _And I gotta get to rock bottom_

-Hard Times; **from Paramore**

* * *

Time started to roll by in a slow manner. Things were steadily starting to fall into place, which was more than _any_ one could've asked for. For Opal, she was very grateful for that. It meant things weren't becoming so overwhelming. Though Jane's research was starting to take off again, _she_ was starting to see some difficulties in getting it really going. She was struggling with some things and went to Erik for help. Selvig was, undoubtedly, helpful in getting the young scientist on the right track. The one thing that kept their lives truly interesting, however, was Thor. His limited knowledge on how things worked kept everyone on their toes. He required assistance with a lot of things, and had trouble asking in some situations. Darcy was willing to help him when it came to things like social media, Opal helped him with more practical things. By the time Saturday rolled around, and there wasn't much to do, the young mutant decided to ask Thor if he wanted to help her with grocery shopping.

" _Shopping_?" he asked.

"Yeah," Opal exclaimed. " _Surely_ you have that where you're from." The last part was said as a joke. The small smile that came across Thor's face had Opal smile a little, too.

"Of course," he replied. "But not in the way you have it."

"You have me really curious about this Asgard," Opal said, pulling her tennis shoes on. "If it's real, I'd like to see it one day."

"Well, you're asking the wrong person." The sadness in Thor's voice didn't go unnoticed. "My banishment requires I never go home."

Looking over at him, the young mutant frowned deeply. She could tell that the subject bothered him, and she felt bad for bringing it up. The last thing she wanted was to hurt him in any way.

"I _can_ tell you what it's like, however," Thor went on, "if that's all right with you."

"You don't have to, I don't want to make you upset."

The slight bewilderment that came across Thor's face was obvious, and was quickly replaced with gratefulness. "I don't mind," he said. "Asgard was my home. It is very beautiful."

"If you insist," Opal murmured, tying her shoes. "Well, if you're coming with me on my shopping trip, you'd better get ready now. I'd hate to have to carry all those heavy bags on my own."

 **O.O.O.O**

"If I tell you about my home, do you think you could tell me something about yourself?" Thor's question caught Opal off guard. They borrowed Jane's van, with Opal driving it to the next town over. There weren't a lot of good stores in the town they lived in, a lot of the good ones being in neighboring towns. Thor sat in the passenger's seat, having been quiet for a majority of the ride. His question, on the other hand, was so abrupt, it startled the young mutant.

Glancing over at him for a moment, Opal let out a soft chuckle. "About what?" she asked. "I'm pretty sure I've told you everything about me."

"You were vague with your information," Thor responded, giving her a pointed look. "If I recall correctly, I told you very detailed stories about my family and myself, and you danced around the subject of yourself."

Shaking her head in exasperation, the young mutant let out a defeated sigh. "I guess you're right," she concluded. "I like to keep my personal life, you know, _private_ at the best of times."

Without so much as a warning, Thor's hand reached over and gently rested on Opal's knee. It caused her to jump in surprise, not expecting the sudden physical contact.

"I care about you, Opal," Thor said, his tone serious. "Despite the time we've spent together, I feel as though I don't know you. I'd like to."

Frustratingly, a strawberry blush came across the young mutant's face. Over the time Thor stayed with the little group, Opal had grown to acknowledge she had a crush on him. She came to really pay attention to not only his physical appearance, but his attitude and behavioral changes as well. Ever since the crater site, he'd retained the calmer, less obnoxious, change. He was curious and understanding, wanting nothing more than to fit in with everyone else. Opal was happy the change seemed permanent. It really gave her a change of perspective.

Letting out a sigh, she nodded. "I get it," she said. "I'm sorry. I don't want you to feel like I don't care or anything."

Thor's hand squeezed Opal's knee. When he removed his hand, he let out a soft chuckle. "I know you do," he replied. "That's why you don't share very often. You're not an open person."

"You guessed it, big guy."

The two of them remained in silence for a couple moments. Thor was occasionally gazing out the window and glancing over at Opal. He found himself becoming very attached to her. Being without her made him feel almost empty. It was a feeling Thor couldn't stand. Hearing her voice, her laughter, just being in her _presence_ , made him feel a sense of relief. Seeing her, touching her, reminded Thor that she was real. Opal Cunningham was working her way into his heart, he was sure of it. Back on Asgard, Thor prided himself in his romantic endeavors. He'd have the occasional one-night stand, and very rarely did he ever pursue any intimate relationships. The last relationship he had on Asgard was with Sif. He broke it off hundreds of years ago when his feelings for her ran their course. But with Opal, the feelings he was experiencing were different. They weren't based on lust or anything _like_ that. They seemed to be deeper, more complicated. He wanted to be with her, he wanted to _grow_ with her. Thor didn't want Opal to leave his side. Was that what love felt like? Or the beginning stages of it? It was hard to say. Thor didn't know what true love felt like, but he was certain that the longer he stayed with Opal, the more he'd figure it out.

 **O.O.O.O**

By the time the duo made it to the supermarket, it was past midday. The sun was shining relentlessly on everyone below. It was a very hot day, without even a _breeze_ to cool anyone off. Anyone who had air conditioning was being invaded by guests. Stores were filled with people trying to get out of the stifling heat. By the time Opal and Thor made it into the store, they let out content sighs. A thin layer of sweat formed on their skin the _second_ they stepped out of the van. Opal was just happy she chose to wear light clothes; she could only imagine how miserable she would've been in heavier attire.

"What did you plan on getting?" Thor asked, watching as Opal got a shopping cart.

"I was going to make pasta tonight," Opal responded. "Plus stock up on any extra food I might need for the week."

"Pasta?"

A surprised look came across Opal's features. "Yeah," she exclaimed. "Spaghetti and meat-sauce. It's the one dish I can make, besides omelettes, without setting anything on fire."

"I'd love to try this dish," Thor announced. "I've come to appreciate your omelettes very much. I know this spaghetti dish will be delicious."

Giggling, Opal nodded. "I'm happy you have so much faith in me," she murmured. "I'm going to need your help with the shopping, then. Anyone who goes shopping with me does their fair share."

A look of determination came across the tall blonde's features. To him, it was a challenge. He'd do his part, no matter what.

"Alrighty then," Opal said. "I'll need you to get basil, tomatoes, and garlic. I'm going to get noodles, Italian meat, and some spices, OK?"

The determined look on Thor's face waned a little before returning. He gave a sharp nod before being directed to the produce department. Opal had to restrain from laughing, though. She could tell that Thor took what she said very seriously. It was very endearing.

"Is he your boyfriend?" The sound of a woman's voice snapped Opal out of her bubble. Glancing over, she saw a woman, probably a few years older than her, staring at Thor with a smile.

"Oh, uh, no," Opal responded. "He's my... friend."

"He's cute, I'll give you that," the woman giggled. An unpleasant feeling washed over Opal at that remark. "I'm surprised you two aren't dating, though. You've got total heart-eyes for him."

"I'm sorry, I don't think I got your name."

"Oh! I'm Paisley."

"I'm Opal."

Paisley gave a warm smile. Opal was a bit unsure about her, but chose to give a small smile in return, just to be polite. "My ex-boyfriend used to be like him," Paisley said. "Really excited and adorable."

"Yeah?" Opal responded.

Paisley nodded. "We dated for, like, two and a half years," she sighed. "Found him cheating one day. With my best friend. Last I heard, they got married and had a kid."

Opal couldn't help but grimace. Would Thor do that to her? They weren't technically dating, but would he decide, one day, to go for someone else and start a life with her? "That really sucks," she grumbled.

"Yeah. But I've moved on. I'm in a good place right now. Not really interested in dating, though."

 _Well that's reassuring,_ Opal thought sarcastically.

"I should probably head out," Paisley said. "You're probably busy. Sorry."

"Don't apologize," Opal responded. "It was nice talking to you."

"You, too." With a bright smile, Paisley headed out.

Opal couldn't help but watch her go to one of the check-out lines. There was something a bit odd about Paisley. If the two women ever ran into each other again, it'd be interesting to find out what that odd feeling was.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 _ **First off, sorry for the wait, my friends. I got a bit sidetracked. Second, I'm sorry for the poorly-written chapter. I tried to find something better to write, but this was the best I could come up with. If you could give some constructive criticism on it, I'd be very appreciative.**_

 _ **Nothing in the MCU belongs to me. All I own are my OCs, my subplots, and happiness over how the Incredibles 2 turned out. If you've got ideas for subplots or OCs, don't hesitate to let me know. I'll be sure to add them in as soon as possible.**_

 _ **For those of you who've seen the Incredibles 2, what'd you think of it? I'm honestly surprised it turned out so well. I was a bit nervous it wouldn't be good at all. Leave a review on your thoughts!**_

 _ **Also, Ant-Man and the Wasp comes out next week. How many of you are excited for that? Marvel's really been bringing a lot of hit movies lately. Infinity War and Black Panther and Deadpool, things like that. I'm really excited to see how the movie turns out. I loved the first movie and I'm hoping this one turns out good, too.**_

 _ **Anywho, I'll wrap this chapter up!**_

 ** _Thank you._**

 ** _Judith W_**


End file.
